Relating to or resembling ants; having characteristics of ants or ant-like behavior.
From Latin 'formica' (ant) + '-an' suffix (relating to, characteristic of). Less common than 'formic,' emphasizing the ant-like qualities rather than the chemical aspect.
This is one of those specialized biology terms that makes entomologists sound like they're speaking a secret language—'formican behavior' means acting in organized, collective ways like ants do, which is actually how scientists describe many insect societies.
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