One Iberian harvester ant queen gave birth to two different species: an Iberian harvester male (left) and a Messor structor male. Jonathan Romiguier

Researchers have uncovered an unusual survival strategy in Iberian harvester ants that turns basic biology on its head: The queens can produce eggs that develop into two different ant species.

A team uncovered this bizarre reproductive trait while trying to solve the mystery of a missing ant species. Preliminary data seemed to show that the Iberian harvester ants, or Messor ibericus, were creating hybrid worker ants by reproducing with another species of harvester ant called Messor structor in the Mediterranean region.

But there was a problem. The Italian island of Sicily where the Iberian harvester ant colony was found is about 1,000 kil

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