JOURNAL ARTICLE

An interspecies grooming ritual may have been spotted in desert ants: First-of-its-kind observation suggests red harvester ants may look to smaller ants to pick off parasites.

  • Published In: Sciencemag.org, 2026. P. N.PAG 1 of 3

  • Database: Applied Science & Technology Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Stokstad, Erik 3 of 3

Abstract

The article focuses on a first-of-its-kind observation of cleaning mutualism between two ant species: the larger red harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex barbatus) and smaller ants of the genus Dorymyrmex. Entomologist Mark Moffett documented instances in Arizona where the smaller Dorymyrmex ants appeared to clean the larger harvester ants by removing parasites or bacterial films, a behavior previously unreported in ants. This interaction resembles known cleaning mutualisms in other animals, where both species benefit—one by parasite removal and the other by gaining food. The discovery highlights the potential for overlooked complex behaviors in well-studied species and suggests new avenues for research on interspecies relationships among ants. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:Sciencemag.org. 2026/04, pN.PAG
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Zoology
  • Publication Date:2026
  • Accession Number:193066127
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