{"id":2498,"date":"2022-04-04T15:20:54","date_gmt":"2022-04-04T07:20:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/?p=2498"},"modified":"2022-08-15T05:21:19","modified_gmt":"2022-08-14T21:21:19","slug":"do-ants-have-hair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-have-hair\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Ants Have Hair?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Ants have setae, which are hair or bristles on their exoskeletons. They use these setae as sensory receptors and for a variety of purposes including communication, locomotion, and thermoregulation.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we\u2019ll we further discuss what setae are and what they\u2019re used for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_64 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-have-hair\/#What_Is_Setae\" title=\"What Is Setae?\">What Is Setae?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-have-hair\/#Why_Do_Ants_Have_Hair_Or_Setae\" title=\"Why Do Ants Have Hair Or Setae?\">Why Do Ants Have Hair Or Setae?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-have-hair\/#Related_Questions\" title=\"Related Questions\">Related Questions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-have-hair\/#Do_Ants_Have_Teeth\" title=\"Do Ants Have Teeth?\">Do Ants Have Teeth?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-have-hair\/#Do_Ants_Have_Eyes\" title=\"Do Ants Have Eyes?\">Do Ants Have Eyes?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-have-hair\/#Do_Ants_Have_Wings\" title=\"Do Ants Have Wings?\">Do Ants Have Wings?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-have-hair\/#Summary_Do_Ants_Have_Hair\" title=\"Summary: Do Ants Have Hair?\">Summary: Do Ants Have Hair?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_Setae\"><\/span>What Is Setae?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Again, setae are a number of hair or bristles found on the ant integument. These setae are hollow structures developed as extensions of the exocuticle and are produced by two specialized epidermal cells, the trichogen and tormogen cells. The former is an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oxfordreference.com\/view\/10.1093\/oi\/authority.20110803105659376\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">enlarged cell that secretes the long tapering hair<\/a> while the latter forms the <a href=\"https:\/\/bioportal.bioontology.org\/ontologies\/CL?p=classes&amp;conceptid=CL%3A0000372\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">socket around its base<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Depending on the species, setae may appear scattered or in patterns on an ant\u2019s body and appendages. As such, they\u2019re important for the identification and classification of species. For example, workers of the Argentine ant <em>Linepithema humile<\/em> can be <a href=\"https:\/\/mississippientomologicalmuseum.org.msstate.edu\/Researchtaxapages\/Formicidaepages\/genericpages\/Line.humile.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">separated from similar ants<\/a> from the genus <em>Forelius<\/em> through their long clypeal setae that extend past their mandibles when closed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Do_Ants_Have_Hair_Or_Setae\"><\/span>Why Do Ants Have Hair Or Setae?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"727\" src=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/fire-ant.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2382\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/fire-ant.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/fire-ant-300x213.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/fire-ant-768x545.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Solenopsis_invicta_-_fire_ant_worker.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Insects Unlocked<\/a>, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Similar to our hair, setae are primarily used for mechanoreception or to detect different types of stimuli. They\u2019re innervated with neurons which receive sensory input and send motor commands that let ants respond accordingly to a specific stimulus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Aside from mechanoreception, ants also use setae for a number of different purposes including the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Communication<\/strong>. Ants rely on the fine hairs and other receptors in their antennae to sense and communicate. Without these fine hairs, ants will have difficulty finding food, and picking up scents and pheromones. In fact, research has found that damage to fine hairs on the tropical weaver ant antennae <a href=\"https:\/\/phys.org\/news\/2013-10-scarred-ant-antennae-friend-foe.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">compromise the ants\u2019 ability to distinguish friend from foe<\/a>. This highlights the importance of setae in the ants\u2019 olfactory system, that of which serve as their primary means of communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Grooming<\/strong>. To keep their antennae in tip-top form, ants use the setae of a claw-like structure in their front legs to comb and remove dirt from their antennae. This structure consists of both coarse and fine setae to ensure that no sort of debris or pollen remains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Locomotion<\/strong>. Ants also use the hairs on their feet to move from one place to another. These dense hairs generate friction and work alongside the adhesive pads on their feet to help ants stick to and climb walls or other surfaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Thermoregulation<\/strong>. Lasty, ants make use of setae to control body temperature. Research has found that Saharan desert ants use setae to stay cool and survive the scorching desert heat. These ants have uniquely shaped triangular hairs on the top and sides of their bodies which help keep them cool by reflecting light, and therefore heat, away. It\u2019s been also revealed that these hairs <a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/science\/bes\/articles\/silver-ants-stay-cool-saharan-heat\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">enhance the Saharan desert ants\u2019 ability to offload excess heat<\/a> and provide them with a passive cooling ability when exposed to the clear sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Questions\"><\/span>Related Questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" src=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/do-ants-have-teeth-1-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"do ants have teeth\" class=\"wp-image-2459\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/do-ants-have-teeth-1-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/do-ants-have-teeth-1-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/do-ants-have-teeth-1-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/do-ants-have-teeth-1.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Myrmecia_nigrocincta_(Australian_Bull_Ant).jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Matt Inman<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_Ants_Have_Teeth\"><\/span>Do Ants Have Teeth?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-have-teeth\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"2456\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ants have mandibular teeth<\/a> attached to their mandibles. The number of these teeth vary depending on species and their mandibular structure, but ants generally have apical and pre-apical teeth.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_Ants_Have_Eyes\"><\/span>Do Ants Have Eyes?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most <a href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/can-ants-see\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"2184\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ants have a pair of compound eyes<\/a> while some species may also have one to three simple eyes called ocelli found on the dorsal surface of the head. There are also some ant species, particularly the subterranean ones, which have no eyes at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_Ants_Have_Wings\"><\/span>Do Ants Have Wings?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Some ants have wings and are capable of flying. These winged ants are typically reproductives which mature colonies produce at certain times of the year for the purpose of breeding and establishing new colonies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Summary_Do_Ants_Have_Hair\"><\/span>Summary: Do Ants Have Hair?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants have hair called setae scattered around their bodies and appendages. These setae are extensions of the ant exocuticle and are innervated with neurons which allow them to pick-up a wide variety of inputs and stimuli. As such, setae is used for mechanoreception, communication, grooming, locomotion, and thermoregulation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ants have setae, which are hair or bristles on their exoskeletons. They use these setae as sensory receptors and for a variety of purposes including communication, locomotion, and thermoregulation. In this article, we\u2019ll we further discuss what setae are and what they\u2019re used for. What Is Setae? Again, setae are a number of hair or&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2499,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2498"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2498"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2498\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2499"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2498"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2498"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2498"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}