Cicada Towers: We Just Got One Step Closer To Understanding The Function Of These Mysterious Amazonian Structures - Thanks To Condoms
IFLScience • • science
Key Points:
- Cicada nymphs in the Amazon build cylindrical towers from clay and excrement, known as cicada towers, which serve as protective structures during their metamorphosis into adults.
- Researchers, led by marine biologist Marina Méga, hypothesized that these towers protect nymphs from predatory ants and aid in gas exchange during development.
- To test their theories, the team used creative methods including baiting ants with sardine-flour mixtures and sealing towers with condoms to observe changes in cicada behavior and tower maintenance.
- Findings showed significantly fewer ants on the towers compared to the ground, supporting the idea that height reduces predation risk, and alterations in tower rebuilding suggested the structures help with respiratory gas exchange.
- During the study, the team discovered the tallest cicada tower recorded at 47 cm, highlighting the impressive engineering and maintenance efforts by the nymphs.
