Re:Supersoldier ants created in the lab by reactivating ance...
by cvshepherd on Sunday January 08, 2012 @03:12PM
(#3440385)
I don't see what I've supposedly missed. And my remark about the cat was just an example of things not necessarily being what they look like.
Re:Supersoldier ants created in the lab by reactivating ance...
by ars on Sunday January 08, 2012 @07:23PM
(#3440992)
What you missed is that this hormone does not just generate disorganized growth (i.e. things grow but not necessarily in a way that properly supports the larger size).
Rather this hormone triggers a third type of development in this species, where the larger size of the animal is properly matched with a new type of behavior.
'....normally develop into soldiers or workers depending on the levels of the "juvenile hormone": if levels are high the ants become soldiers, while if they are low they become the smaller worker ants. In the species that produce supersoldiers there is a second high threshold of the juvenile hormone, above which the larvae develop into the larger supersoldiers.'
If you gave a normal cat unchecked growth hormones it would not resemble a tiger - it would die. Its body is not designed to be that large - look at case reports of humans with growth disorders, they have all sorts of very serious issues simply from being larger than designed.