Chimera Ants

Chimera ants are a fictional species of insect that appear in the Japanese manga series Hunter × Hunter by Yoshihiro Togashi. Chimera ants are extremely dangerous, and are ranked first among insects that should be quarantined. Also known as the "Gourmet Ant," they have voracious appetites and can consume several times their own weight within a single day. In every nest, one queen chimera ant exists to produce more ants in order to ensure the success of the species. Chimera ant queens possess an entirely unique method of reproduction, known as Phagogenesis , a fictional term meaning creation/reproduction through eating. By eating other creatures, a chimera ant queen can impart the characteristics of ingested creatures onto the next generation of chimera ants it gives birth to. To take advantage of the genes of a particular species, chimera ants have been known to feed until the fodder species is driven to extinction in its ecosystem. A chimera ant colony is organized into a military-like chain of command. At the top of the hierarchy is the queen ant, initially protected by the three Royal Guards.

Autorentext

Vuyokazi Nomlomo (PhD) is a senior lecturer and teacher trainer in the Faculty of Education, University of the Western Cape, South Africa. Her research interest includes Language in Education, Linguistics, Teacher Education and Teacher development.