Ants may be the only animal that performs surgical amputations. Learn more: News from Science #ScienceMagArchives

@NewsfromScience Matabele ants (Megaponera analis) perform triage and surgical care on wounded nestmates, meticulously cleaning injuries and amputating infected limbs. This medical behavior evolved 50 million years before human surgery (Frank et al. 2018).

@NewsfromScience Never fucks with ants 🐜 Ya heard…

@NewsfromScience Sombitch ate the other guy's leg!

@NewsfromScience "Ants may be small, but their surgical abilities are mighty."

@NewsfromScience This article contains teleological language likely to mislead:, e.g. an insect severing the leg of a nestmate to save its life” suggests it is performing the surgery with a purpose in mind. Comparing instinctive behavior (the surgery) to learned human behavior muddies things.