Cardiocondyla hashemi

Quick Summary

• Difficulty: Unknown, Insufficient Data
• Origin & Habitat: Riyadh, Wadi Hanifa, Saudi Arabia (24.603°N,46.699°E) at 751m elevation. The type locality features remnants of native vegetation interspersed with exotic plants, with groundwater accumulation in surface flow channels. Soil is sandy clay loam with approximately 70% sand,7.5% silt, and 22.5% clay, with moderate organic content and alkaline pH. Vegetation cover is 85% with diverse plant species including Prosopis, Acacia, Phoenix dactylifera, and Sesuvium portulacastrum ^[1][2].
• Colony Type: Unconfirmed colony structure. Based on typical Cardiocondyla patterns, likely single-queen colonies.
• Size & Growth:
  • Queen: Unknown, not yet described ^[1]
  • Worker: 2.07mm total length ^[1]
  • Colony: Unknown, no colony data available
  • Growth: Unknown, no development data available
  • Development: Unknown, no direct data available for this species (No development studies exist for this newly described species.)
• Antkeeping:
  • Temperature: Unknown, no thermal studies exist. Based on the Saudi Arabian habitat, they likely tolerate warm conditions. Observe colony activity to determine optimal range.
  • Humidity: Unknown, no humidity data. The type locality has groundwater accumulation and lush vegetation, suggesting they prefer moderately moist conditions. Keep nest substrate slightly moist but not waterlogged.
  • Diapause: Unknown, no seasonal data exists. Saudi Arabia has mild winters, so they may have reduced activity rather than true hibernation.
  • Nesting: No direct nesting observations. Based on soil type at type locality (sandy clay loam) and genus patterns, they likely nest in soil or under stones. In captivity, a small test tube setup or Y-tong nest with fine, sandy substrate would be appropriate. Keep chambers small given their tiny size.
• Behavior: Behavior is unstudied. Based on genus patterns, they are likely docile and non-aggressive. Workers are tiny at 2.07mm with short propodeal spines, so escape prevention is critical, they can squeeze through standard mesh. Use fine mesh or fluon barriers. Foraging style is unknown but likely involves ground-level searching for small prey and honeydew.
• Common Issues: this is a newly described species with no established care guidelines., tiny worker size means high escape risk through standard mesh barriers., no confirmed diet preferences, unknown what they accept in captivity., colony size unknown, may be small even at maturity., no hibernation data available, winter care is speculative., extremely rare in cultivation, may be difficult to acquire legally., no documented founding behavior, queen type unconfirmed.

Discovery and Rarity

Cardiocondyla hashemi represents one of the most recently described ant species, officially named in 2024 from a single specimen collected in Wadi Hanifa, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This makes it an exceptionally rare species in the antkeeping hobby, likely few to no colonies exist in captivity worldwide. The species was discovered during biodiversity surveys of the Wadi Hanifa wetland ecosystem, an area characterized by remnants of native vegetation, groundwater accumulation, and diverse plant species including Prosopis, Acacia, date palms, and Sesuvium. The type locality sits at 751m elevation with sandy clay loam soil containing moderate organic matter. The species is distinguished from its closest relative Cardiocondyla tenuifrons (from Jordan) by its uniform yellow coloration versus dark brown markings, and by the distribution of foveolae on its head. This species is noted as likely native to the region rather than being an introduced tramp species ^[1][2].

Identification and Morphology

Workers of Cardiocondyla hashemi are tiny at just 2.07mm total length, with a distinctly elongated head that is longer than it is broad. They have large eyes with about 14-15 ommatidia in the longest row, and short scapes that fail to reach the posterior margin of the head when laid back. The propodeal spines are short and acute, forming approximately a 50-degree angle with the mesosoma. The postpetiole is about 1.5 times broader than long. The entire body is uniformly yellow in color, which distinguishes it from the similar C. tenuifrons that has dark brown head and gaster. The cephalic surface has shallow, irregularly oval foveolae that are more dense around the eyes and less common on the posterior third of the head. Each foveola bears a simple projecting seta at its center. The mesosoma and petiole have dense microreticulate sculpture, while the gaster is smooth ^[1][2].

Habitat and Environmental Preferences

The type locality in Wadi Hanifa represents a unique wetland ecosystem in the Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia. The area features groundwater accumulation in surface flow channels, creating a lush environment with 85% vegetation cover despite the surrounding desert. The soil is sandy clay loam with approximately 70% sand,7.5% silt, and 22.5% clay, this composition provides good drainage while retaining adequate moisture and nutrients. The soil has moderate organic content and alkaline pH. Vegetation includes diverse species: Prosopis and Acacia trees, Phoenix dactylifera (date palm), Sesuvium portulacastrum, and various grasses and shrubs. The 45% log cover and 21% litter cover with 1.28cm litter depth provide potential nesting microhabitats ^[1][2].

Keeping Considerations

This species is NOT recommended for beginners or even intermediate antkeepers due to the complete lack of established care information. No colonies are known to exist in captivity, and all care recommendations must be considered highly speculative. If you somehow obtain a colony, housing should use small chambers scaled to their tiny 2mm worker size. Escape prevention is critical, standard ant mesh will not contain them, requiring fine mesh or fluon barriers. Temperature and humidity requirements are unknown but should likely mimic the warm, moderately moist wadi environment. Feeding should start with small live prey and sugar sources, but acceptance is completely unconfirmed. This species represents an opportunity for very advanced keepers to potentially establish the first captive breeding populations, but the risks of failure are extremely high due to the complete lack of biological data ^[1][2].

Frequently Asked Questions

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References