Feeding Ecology and Behavioral Adaptations shape Injury Patterns in Central European Ants

This dataset contains records and observations on injury rates and patterns in native ant species collected across different habitats in Bavaria, Germany. The study investigates whether a species’ feeding ecology or habitat can predict the occurrence and distribution of injuries. Specimens were collected using pitfall traps, allowing efficient assessment of injuries to specific body regions.

The data reveal strong variation in injury frequency among species and genera (0–38%). Predatory ants were more prone to leg injuries, while omnivorous species more often showed antenna injuries. These differences likely reflect species-specific foraging behavior and wound care responses, with frequent trochanter injuries suggesting self-amputation as a possible infection management strategy, as observed in Lasius alienus.

Overall, the dataset provides comparative evidence that feeding ecology and behavior influence injury occurrence and type. It supports the view that injuries represent an ecological and evolutionary factor linked to the development of wound care and social immunity in ants.