This newly discovered ant species from the Philippines is called the Pirate Ant, which is awesome, but it really should be called the Diamond Ant. Or the Liberace Ant. Or the Damien Hirst Ant. Observe:
Is that joke too geeky? That’s Damien Hirst’s absurd diamond-encrusted skull artwork. Here’s the lowbrow version:
It’s called the Pirate Ant because it has a dark line across the eye area which (if you squint) looks like the strap of an eyepatch, though, which is almost as cool. (Only the females have the eyepatch line. LADY Pirate Ant! Even better.)
So WHY exactly is the ant bedazzled? Possibly to confuse its predators, which will presumably think it’s a novelty iPhone case. Or possibly just to be FABULOUS. Nature works in some mysterious ways.
