{"id":31,"date":"2021-08-22T20:32:33","date_gmt":"2021-08-22T12:32:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/?p=31"},"modified":"2023-09-19T20:26:36","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T12:26:36","slug":"are-ants-animals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Ants Animals?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Yes, ants are animals. In fact, they are one of the most abundant animals on earth with a known total of more than 10,000 species.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s easy to think that ants aren&#8217;t animals. After all, they look very different from us and other common animals such as cats and dogs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s why in this article, I&#8217;ll explain to you why ants are animals by discussing the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Definition of animals and their characteristics<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Why ants are animals<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ant classification\/taxonomy<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" src=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/are-ants-animals-C2-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"are ants animals\" class=\"wp-image-3161\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/are-ants-animals-C2-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/are-ants-animals-C2-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/are-ants-animals-C2-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/are-ants-animals-C2.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image by <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/users\/diego_torres-1118992\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=947402\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Roman Grac<\/a> from <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=947402\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\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\/are-ants-animals\/#What_Are_Animals\" title=\"What Are Animals?&nbsp;\">What Are Animals?&nbsp;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#Movement\" title=\"Movement\">Movement<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#Heterotrophs\" title=\"Heterotrophs\">Heterotrophs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#Sensory_Organs\" title=\"Sensory Organs\">Sensory Organs<\/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\/are-ants-animals\/#Aerobic_Respiration\" title=\"Aerobic Respiration\">Aerobic Respiration<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#Why_Are_Ants_Animals\" title=\"Why Are Ants Animals?\">Why Are Ants Animals?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#Ants_Are_Capable_Of_Movement\" title=\"Ants Are Capable Of Movement\">Ants Are Capable Of Movement<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#Ants_Are_Heterotrophs\" title=\"Ants Are Heterotrophs\">Ants Are Heterotrophs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#Ants_Have_Sensory_Organs\" title=\"Ants Have Sensory Organs\">Ants Have Sensory Organs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#Ants_Respire_Aerobically\" title=\"Ants Respire Aerobically\">Ants Respire Aerobically<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#Classification_Of_Ants_Ant_Taxonomy\" title=\"Classification Of Ants: Ant Taxonomy\">Classification Of Ants: Ant Taxonomy<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#Domain\" title=\"Domain\">Domain<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#Kingdom\" title=\"Kingdom\">Kingdom<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#Phylum\" title=\"Phylum\">Phylum<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#Class\" title=\"Class\">Class<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#Order\" title=\"Order\">Order<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#Family\" title=\"Family\">Family<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#Narrower_Classifications_Genus_and_Species\" title=\"Narrower Classifications: Genus and Species\">Narrower Classifications: Genus and Species<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#Genus\" title=\"Genus\">Genus<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#Species\" title=\"Species\">Species<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#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-22\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#What_Type_of_Animals_are_Ants\" title=\"What Type of Animals are Ants?\">What Type of Animals are Ants?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#Are_Ants_the_Smallest_Animals\" title=\"Are Ants the Smallest Animals?\">Are Ants the Smallest Animals?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#Are_Ants_the_Strongest_Animals\" title=\"Are Ants the Strongest Animals?\">Are Ants the Strongest Animals?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-25\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#Are_Ants_Useful_Animals\" title=\"Are Ants Useful Animals?\">Are Ants Useful Animals?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-26\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-animals\/#Summary\" title=\"Summary\">Summary<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Are_Animals\"><\/span>What Are Animals?&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Animals are <strong>multicellular and eukaryotic organisms<\/strong>. This means that they\u2019re composed of multiple cells that each have a nucleus. [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biologyonline.com\/dictionary\/animal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They\u2019re also characterized by the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Movement\"><\/span>Movement<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most animals have the ability to move. They make use of energy to <strong>move their muscles<\/strong> and locomotory structures like arms, and legs. There are some animals, however, that are immobile. Corals, for example, can\u2019t move and thus seem like plants even when they\u2019re not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Heterotrophs\"><\/span>Heterotrophs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Animals don\u2019t photosynthesize and can\u2019t produce their own food. Instead, they&#8217;re heterotrophs or consumers. They <strong>depend on other organisms<\/strong> for nutrition and energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sensory_Organs\"><\/span>Sensory Organs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Animals have specialized sense organs that help them recognize and <strong>react to stimuli<\/strong>. These sense organs typically include the eyes, nose, ears, tongue, and skin.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, some animals may have alternative sense organs such as antennae and bills. These alternatives function differently but produce the same results as the traditional organs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Aerobic_Respiration\"><\/span>Aerobic Respiration<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Respiration is the biochemical process that converts food into energy. It is what fuels cells and allows for metabolic activities to occur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Animals perform aerobic respiration. They <strong>need oxygen<\/strong> to break down glucose and release enough energy to fuel the body. Without it, their cells will fail to function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Are_Ants_Animals\"><\/span>Why Are Ants Animals?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants are considered animals because they\u2019re multicellular eukaryotes that have the aforementioned characteristics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ants_Are_Capable_Of_Movement\"><\/span>Ants Are Capable Of Movement<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ants move around<\/strong> through their thorax muscles and three pairs of segmented legs. With these legs, ants can climb, swim, and generally move from one point to another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Watch Saharan silver ants run | Science News\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/A8ut8b3k0Ls?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Some ants can even travel at astounding speeds. For instance, the Saharan silver ant can travel 33.7 inches (855 millimeters) in a second. That\u2019s around 108 times its body length per second and equivalent to 360 miles per hour for humans. [<a href=\"https:\/\/journals.biologists.com\/jeb\/article\/222\/20\/jeb198705\/224418\/High-speed-locomotion-in-the-Saharan-silver-ant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are also ants <strong>capable of flight<\/strong>. For many species, drones and queens can grow wings and fly. Like their legs, these wings are attached and controlled by the thorax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ants_Are_Heterotrophs\"><\/span>Ants Are Heterotrophs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ant cells aren&#8217;t capable of photosynthesis and producing their own food. Instead, ants <strong>rely on other organisms<\/strong> for nutrition. They often eat other small arthropods and sweets such as nectar or honeydew.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To learn more, see this article on <a href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/what-do-ants-eat\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">what ants eat<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ants_Have_Sensory_Organs\"><\/span>Ants Have Sensory Organs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants have 2 <strong>well-developed antennae<\/strong> on the sides of their heads which they use to taste, smell, and hear. They use these antennae to locate food, navigate, and communicate.&nbsp;<\/p>\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\/2021\/11\/can-ants-see-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"can ants see\" class=\"wp-image-2187\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/can-ants-see-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/can-ants-see-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/can-ants-see-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/can-ants-see.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image by <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/users\/virvoreanu-laurentiu-3417264\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=2129070\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Virvoreanu Laurentiu<\/a> from <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=2129070\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>They also have a <strong>pair of compound eyes<\/strong> which allow them to see. However, they tend to have bad eyesight and some ant species are even completely blind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ants_Respire_Aerobically\"><\/span>Ants Respire Aerobically<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants <strong>breathe in oxygen<\/strong> like us humans. They do so through a complex network of tubes called a tracheal respiratory system. This system relies on the passive diffusion of gas to deliver oxygen to the cells in the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To learn more about the ant respiratory system, see this article on <a href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/how-do-ants-breathe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">how ants breathe<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Classification_Of_Ants_Ant_Taxonomy\"><\/span>Classification Of Ants: Ant Taxonomy<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\/2021\/08\/why-are-ants-considered-animals-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-34\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/why-are-ants-considered-animals-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/why-are-ants-considered-animals-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/why-are-ants-considered-animals-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/why-are-ants-considered-animals.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image by <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/users\/kie-ker-2367988\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=1330783\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">kie-ker<\/a> from <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=1330783\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Animals are classified into a <strong>hierarchical set of categories<\/strong> called taxa. These categories consist of different levels based on shared physical characteristics. [<a href=\"https:\/\/manoa.hawaii.edu\/exploringourfluidearth\/biological\/what-alive\/classification-life\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">3<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The table below shows the ant taxonomic hierarchy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-regular\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Taxonomic Tank<\/span><\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Classification<\/span><\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Kingdom<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Animalia<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Phylum<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Arthropoda<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Class<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Insecta<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Order<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Hymenoptera<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Family<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Formicidae<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ant Taxonomic Hierarchy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s discuss each of these categories in more detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Domain\"><\/span>Domain<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The domain is the broadest taxonomic rank in the biological classification system. It\u2019s broken down based on cellular characteristics namely:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>The presence of a true nucleus<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lipid composition of the cell membrane and characteristics of the cell wall<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The domain consists of 3 groups, Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants are<strong> <\/strong>part of Eukarya because they&#8217;re eukaryotes. Their cells contain a <strong>true nucleus<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Kingdom\"><\/span>Kingdom<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The kingdom further breaks down the domain based on cellular characteristics. The kingdom consists of 6 groups:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Eubacteria<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Archaebacteria<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Protista<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fungi<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Plantae<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Animalia<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>As <strong>multicellular eukaryotes<\/strong> or animals, ants are under the kingdom Animalia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Phylum\"><\/span>Phylum<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The phylum is the largest accepted taxon of organisms with certain evolutionary traits. Organisms at this level are categorized based on physical and internal features. For instance, ants are under the phylum Arthropoda due to their <strong>chitin exoskeletons<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Class\"><\/span>Class<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The class is defined as a taxonomic rank above the order and below the phylum. It breaks down the groupings of the phylum further by more specific traits.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, ants are under the class Insecta (insects) due to the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>3 body part segments (head, thorax, abdomen)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>3 pairs of legs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In some cases, 2 pairs of wings&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These characteristics make them <strong>different from other Arthropods<\/strong> such as eight-legged spiders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Order\"><\/span>Order<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The order further narrows down the class based on <strong>more specific traits<\/strong>. For instance, ants are under the order Hymenoptera. Insects in this order have narrow waists, thin membranous wings, and biting-sucking mouthparts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Family\"><\/span>Family<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The family is the taxonomic rank between the genus and order. It classifies organisms based on common characteristics and ancestry. This means that organisms in a Family would have evolved from the <strong>same ancestors<\/strong>. As such, all ant types are under the Formicidae family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Narrower_Classifications_Genus_and_Species\"><\/span>Narrower Classifications: Genus and Species<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The family is the lowest level classification that&#8217;s the same for all ants. Further and narrower classifications distinguish ants from each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Genus\"><\/span>Genus<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The genus is the taxonomic rank following the family. Biology defines the genus as the taxonomic rank of species with common attributes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It includes groups of species that are structurally related. Through these structural similarities, scientists have described more than 300 ant genera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Species\"><\/span>Species<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The species is the fundamental unit of classification in Taxonomy. It includes organisms that share external similarities and are capable of successful interbreeding.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are currently more than 12,000 identified ant species in the world. Estimates suggest that there are 10,000 more that have to be discovered.<\/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\/2021\/08\/are-ants-animals_3-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-37\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/are-ants-animals_3-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/are-ants-animals_3-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/are-ants-animals_3-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/are-ants-animals_3.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image by <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/users\/kie-ker-2367988\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=1377444\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">kie-ker<\/a> from <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=1377444\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Type_of_Animals_are_Ants\"><\/span>What Type of Animals are Ants?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-insects\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"68\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ants are insects<\/a>. They\u2019re classified under the class Insecta due to their physical characteristics. Like other insects, ants have 3 body part segments, 6 legs, and sometimes 2 pairs of wings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_Ants_the_Smallest_Animals\"><\/span>Are Ants the Smallest Animals?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants are small but they\u2019re far from being the tiniest animals. Many other insects like delicate wasps are significantly smaller. These wasps are nearly 400x smaller than the typical ant and almost just as wide as human hair. They make ants look like giants. [<a href=\"https:\/\/askdruniverse.wsu.edu\/2016\/06\/30\/smallest-insect-earth\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">4<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_Ants_the_Strongest_Animals\"><\/span>Are Ants the Strongest Animals?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants are among the strongest of animals in terms of relative strength. They&#8217;re capable of carrying 100x times their own weight. To put that into perspective, that&#8217;s equal to an average human carrying 2 elephants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yet even then, ants are not the strongest of all animals. Dung beetles, for example, are way stronger. These beetles can pull more than 1000x times their own body weight, 10x more than ants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to absolute strength, ants are no match. Even we humans are stronger than ants then, and let&#8217;s not even talk about whales or gorillas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_Ants_Useful_Animals\"><\/span>Are Ants Useful Animals?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s sometimes easy to dismiss ants as useless pests. However, ants actually provide us and other organisms with a great number of benefits. In fact, ecologists consider them to be keystone species. They contribute largely to environmental diversity, productivity, and nutrient and energy flow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To learn more about how ants are useful, read this article on whether <a href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-beneficial\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ants are beneficial<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Summary\"><\/span>Summary<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To sum it all up, ants are animals. They\u2019re multicellular eukaryotes that possess the characteristics under the kingdom Animalia. They have sensory organs, are capable of movement, rely on other organisms for energy, and respire aerobically.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Yes, ants are animals. In fact, they are one of the most abundant animals on earth with a known total of more than 10,000 species. It&#8217;s easy to think that ants aren&#8217;t animals. After all, they look very different from us and other common animals such as cats and dogs.&nbsp; That&#8217;s why in this article,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3161,"comment_status":"closed","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\/31"}],"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=31"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3772,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31\/revisions\/3772"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3161"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}