Schultz, Ted R.

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
AUTHORS: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Ted Schultz.jpgTed Schultz (National Museum of Natural History).jpg

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Phone: 202-633-0999
Fax: 202-786-3141
E-mail Address: schultzt@si.edu

Mailing Address:
Smithsonian Institution
PO Box 37012, MRC 188, Rm. CE-516
Washington, DC 20013-7012

Shipping Address:
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History
10th & Constitution NW
Washington, DC 20560-0188

Education:
Ph.D. Cornell University
B.A. University of California, Berkeley

Research Interests:

Evolution and systematics of ants, especially the fungus-growing ants (Myrmicinae: Attini). Phylogenetic analysis using morphological and molecular characters. Historical ecology and evolution of the fungus-growing behavior. Theory and methodology of phylogenetic analysis, especially the reconstruction of ancestral character states. Quantitative methods for assessing ant biodiversity. Research in the Smithsonian AntLab largely focuses on the systematics, phylogenetics, and biodiversity of ants (family Formicidae), but two AntLab researchers work on bees and in the past AntLab researchers have conducted projects on termites, dragonflies, spiders, and beetles. Three main themes run through most of our research: (1) The evolution, phylogenetics, and systematics of the fungus-growing ants (tribe Attini, subfamily Myrmicinae); (2) the phylogeny of all ants (family Formicidae), currently funded by an NSF Assembling the Tree of Life grant (to Phil Ward, Sean Brady, Brian Fisher, and Ted Schultz); and (3) the quantitative sampling of leaf-litter ants of the Guiana Shield in particular and of South America in general (a collaboration with John LaPolla, Ted Suman, and Jeffrey Sosa-Calvo).


“I went back to school for biology in my 30s. I had done a million other things, but I always loved animals and insects. I read E.O. Wilson’s book, 'The Insect Societies,' which galvanized my interest in social insects. Insects have small brains and a lot of what they do is hard-wired, but social insects do incredibly complicated things. Some sacrifice their lives for other individuals, they have wars, grow fungi, herd aphid ‘cattle.’

I wanted to know how such a complex society of many individuals could evolve from a solitary insect ancestor. I focused on fungus-growing ants because of all the crazy things that nature does, this seems like the craziest. Ants that are farmers! I thought, if I can only figure out one thing, I’m going to figure out how this evolved.”

Three more pieces of Ted Trivia:

1. He has worked as a freelance writer, copy editor, proofreader, graphic designer, illustrator, printer, newspaper production artist, magazine production artist, copy camera operator, jewelry maker, cab driver, bartender, dental technician, dishwasher, janitor, file clerk, sign painter, waterbed upholsterer, tree cutter, temp agency worker, bicycle messenger, mover, day laborer, railroad car inspector, news agency paper stuffer, and truck driver.

2. Between 1970 and 1988 he spent eight years in four undergraduate institutions variously majoring in Fine Art, Computer Science, and Biology.

3. He holds a degree in Mixology from the Golden Gate Bartending Academy in San Francisco.

PUBLICATIONS

  • Schultz, T.R. & Meier, R. 1995. A phylogenetic analysis of the fungus-growing ants based on morphological characters of the larvae. Systematic Entomology 20: 337-370. [15.xii.1995.]
  • Schultz, T. R.; Solomon, S. A. 2002. [Untitled. Cyphomyrmex muelleri Schultz and Solomon, new species.] Pp. 336-337 in: Schultz, T. R.; Solomon, S. A.; Mueller, U. G.; Villesen, P.; Boomsma, J. J.; Adams, R.
AUTHORS: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z