To grasp the “incredible” nature of this figure, imagine a domestic cat capable of running at a speed of up to 193 km/h scaled to its size.
The cheetah is the fastest land animal, but the number of strides it takes per second is limited. In contrast, a tiny species of ant possesses an astonishing ability to move rapidly relative to its body length, taking 47 steps per second—approximately ten times the record set by Usain Bolt, the world and Olympic champion in the 100 meters.
This tiny ant can move at an astonishing speed.
This remarkable ant is the Sahara silver ant, known as the “king of speed” in the ant world. Harald Wolf from the University of Ulm, Germany, reported observing individuals that could reach speeds of 1m/s, which is about 108 times their body length while moving across salt flats in Tunisia.
To illustrate the “incredible” nature of this speed, you could envision a domestic cat running at 193 km/h scaled to its size.
To achieve this, the silver ant performs 47 steps per second by swinging its long legs, which measure 4-6mm, at speeds up to 1300mm/s, according to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology.
The silver ant takes 47 steps per second.
In fact, these ants seem to “fly” through the air during this motion, as their rapid steps lift all six legs and their body off the ground. This remarkable speed highlights the evolutionary adaptations of the Sahara silver ant to survive in desert environments with temperatures reaching up to 60 degrees Celsius.
Unlike other desert creatures, these ants venture out of their shelters during the blistering midday heat, as this is the crucial time for foraging. Their meals typically consist of the remains of unfortunate creatures that succumb to the harsh conditions of the Sahara Desert.
Even more astonishing is the fact that these ants can coordinate their movements with precision and fluidity, allowing a group to easily transport prey or essential supplies back to their nest at speeds that rival their sprinting.
