Jacobus J. Boomsma

The paper identifies a Hymenoptera-specific gene, torch, that controls caste-specific organ size by co-opting conserved Hippo signaling machinery across species.

The paper uses population genomic analyses to study the social parasite Acromyrmex insinuator and its hosts, finding reduced genetic diversity, eroded adaptive potential, and cryptic population structure in the parasite.

The paper examines whether queen loss triggers physiological and transcriptional changes in workers of Lasius neglectus, finding no such response, suggesting physiological independence.

Antscan provides 2,193 standardized whole-body 3D synchrotron micro-CT datasets across 792 ant species (212 genera), pairing morphological volumes with automated deep-learning segmentation and genome sequencing projects.

The paper investigates vertical transmission of bacteria in fungus-growing ants, finding mixed evidence for garden bacteria transmission but supporting maternal transmission of gut-associated symbionts.