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Fig. 1 | Frontiers in Zoology

Fig. 1

From: The loss of flight in ant workers enabled an evolutionary redesign of the thorax for ground labour

Fig. 1

Caste differences in fusion of thoracic plates and presence/absence of wing muscles (Cataglyphis savignyi). a A large mesonotum (purple) in queens freely articulates dorsally, and c carries huge wing muscles (purple) that occupy most of the thoracic cavity. b The mesonotum in workers is much reduced and fully fused with the posterior section of the thorax to form a rigid box-like structure (blue). d Neck muscles in workers (red, orange, yellow) expand in the absence of wing muscles within the enlarged anterior thoracic cavity (B, red). T1, prothorax. T2, mesothorax. T3, metathorax. IA, propodeum

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