Curator California Academy of Sciences San Francisco, California
The field of ant science is changing - new molecular-based phylogenies are causing a sea change in classification, imaging, and genetic sequencing are revolutionizing how ant taxonomy is conducted, and online resources such as AntWeb, AntCat, AntWiki are providing universal access to ant knowledge. At the same time, myrmecologists are growing in diversity and expanding the reach of ant-focused science to new communities worldwide, especially in the Global South. Against this backdrop, Ant Course provides a much-needed annual forum to exchange ideas and train future scientists, but also to explore how transcultural research can enhance equitable partnerships that emphasize collaboration, mutual learning, and shared responsibilities. Since 2001, 19 Ant Courses have trained over 500 students from 59 countries, included over 60 international instructors, and offered opportunities to explore the biological diversity across the globe, from Australia to Southeast Asia, to East Africa, to North, Central, and South America. Students attending an Ant Course become active members of an international group of researchers. These courses also provide a vehicle for joint exploration of local faunas. Specimens collected in past editions enhanced our understanding of several aspects of ant biology, such as functional morphology, ecology, reproductive biology, and natural history. The course also created opportunities for remarkable discoveries. For example, two new genera records for USA fauna, Typhlomyrmex and Fulakora, the first record of the worker caste of the Afrotropical genus Aenictogiton, first records of Rhopalothrix and Tyrannomyrmex in Borneo Echinopla in Vietnam, and a new genus Corrieopone from French Guiana.