Daniel J. C. Kronauer
The Distinguished Naturalist Award is given annually to an active midcareer scientist who has made significant contributions to the knowledge of a particular ecosystem or group of organisms and who, through this work, has illuminated key principles of evolutionary biology and an enhanced appreciation of natural history. The winner of the 2026 Distinguished Naturalist Award is Dr. Daniel Kronauer.
Dr. Kronauer is, at heart, an ant naturalist. He combines depth of knowledge of ant biology with tropical fieldwork and state-of-the-art laboratory tools to uncover how ant societies are built, function, and evolve. He is well known for his experimental studies of army ants and their relatives, tracing the evolution of their remarkable mating systems, social organization, and collective behavior. In one line of research, he revealed the extreme polyandry of army ant queens and leveraged it to test foundational ideas about inclusive fitness and reproductive conflict. In another, he developed the clonal raider ant as a laboratory model, pioneering the first genetically modified and transgenic ants to illuminate the molecular and neural bases of pheromone communication, caste differentiation, and division of labor. At the same time, his field studies have uncovered the rich ecological networks surrounding army ants, including spectacular symbionts new to science. Dr. Kronauer’s enthusiasm for ants extends beyond the laboratory and forest: through award-winning photography and public scholarship, he conveys the beauty and drama of social insects to scientists and the broader public alike.
The ASN thanks committee members Dr. Emilie Snell-Rood (chair), Dr. Mike McCoy, and Dr. John Stinchcombe for evaluating candidates.