Ant

"Can I interest you in some drone meat? Drone meat, my friend. It is most nutritious. Please, buy some."

- Fryer, Fryer's Fine Grill at the Estate

Locations
Ants are very versatile creatures and can be found on many planets with oxygen atmosphere. They have found ways to also colonize acidic and radiation planets on which many other lifeforms can not survive. They prefer sandy environments or caves.

Ants can also be found as pets, cattle or arena animals on Cornelia Station, in the Burrow and on the Estate.

Appearance and behaviour
Ants are the most varied species of animals in the galaxy. Being eusocial they display a polymorphism linked to their specific caste. The most commonly encountered caste are the Drones, the workers of the colony. The Ravagers are larger, can spit acid at enemies and are the soldier caste. In the middle of the hive dwells the Queen surrounded by clutches of eggs. A very colorful variety of drone, encountered often close to the centre of the hive, could be her mate or a young future queen.

Ants feel drawn to a strange glowing ore that can be found on a few planets. The frequency it emits seems to resemble their own communication and encourages them to build their hives around it.

Additional to the different castes, Ants living on acidic or radiated planets have different colouration, which adds to the list of possible phenotypes.

Ants will dig themselves into ground and lie in wait for their prey. If they sense the vibration of something or someone approaching (likely with the spikes on their heads as tactile organs) they emerge and attack. If they eat the prey themselves or (as one theory claims) use it to feed a symbiotic fungus in their hive, is unclear.

Ants are kept by humans for nutritional purposes -mainly served roasted as Drone Meat- and for recreational purposes as arena animals. If used for the latter they are sometimes subjected to mechanical modifications to make them more dangerous.

Missions

 * Missing research team
 * Clear the base (Active Terraforming Station)
 * Clear the Mine (Randall Mining Outpost)
 * WD weapon testing