Scientific illustration of Pheidole subsphaerica ant - showing key identification features including head, thorax, and gaster.

Pheidole subsphaerica

Non-Parasitic Queen No Gamergate
Sci. Name
Pheidole subsphaerica
Tribe
Attini
Subfamily
Myrmicinae
Author
Wilson, 2003
Distribution
Found in 1 countries
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Introduction

Pheidole subsphaerica is a rare ant species from the tristis group, known only from Chinchina, Caldas, Colombia . Major workers have a distinctive circular head, inspiring the name 'subsphaerica' meaning 'somewhat ball-shaped' . They are light reddish yellow, and minors are clear yellow . Both castes have dense pilosity, and the head and promesonotum are smooth and glossy . This species is closely related to P. pepo and P. sphaerica . This species is extremely rare, with no documented biology or captive care data. It was described by E.O. Wilson in 2003 .

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Status by country, from Kass et al. 2022 & Wong et al. 2023

Native Invasive Introduced (indoor) Intercepted Unknown
Data Sources
Year Range 2000 - 2026

Quick Summary

  • Difficulty: Hard
  • Origin & Habitat: Known only from Chinchina, Caldas, Colombia [1][2].
  • Colony Type: Unconfirmed, no data on colony structure for this species.
  • Size & Growth:
    • Queen: Size data unavailable, no total body length measurements provided in research.
    • Worker: Size data unavailable, no total body length measurements provided in research.
    • Colony: Unknown for this species.
    • Growth: Unknown, no development data exists.
    • Development: Unconfirmed, no species-specific data. (No direct development data exists.)
  • Antkeeping:
    • Temperature: Unknown, no data on temperature preferences. As a tropical species from Colombia [1][2], keep warm around 24-28°C as a starting point, but observe colony behavior.
    • Humidity: Unknown, no data on humidity requirements. Keep substrate moderately moist, but adjust based on observation.
    • Diapause: Unknown, as a tropical species [1][2], it may not require diapause, but no specific data exists.
    • Nesting: Unknown, no data on nesting preferences. For captivity, use test tubes for founding and plaster nests for established colonies, but this is generic advice.
  • Behavior: Undocumented for this species. Escape risk is unknown, but standard precautions are recommended.
  • Common Issues: this species has never been kept in captivity, there are no established care protocols or known problems., extreme rarity means finding a colony to keep may be nearly impossible., without any biological data, keepers are essentially experimenting blindly., potential for the species to have specialized requirements not met by generic Pheidole care., wild-caught colonies may carry parasites or diseases with no documented treatment.

Species Discovery and Rarity

Pheidole subsphaerica was described in 2003 by E.O. Wilson [3]. It is known only from the type locality in Chinchina, Colombia, collected by W.L. Brown [2]. This makes it one of the rarest Pheidole species. The major workers have a circular head, inspiring the name 'subsphaerica' [2].

Identification and Morphology

Pheidole subsphaerica major workers have a nearly circular head when viewed from the front, with a flattened posterior dorsal margin [2]. The carinulae are limited to the level of the posterior margin of the eye, and those originating mesad to the eye curve downward below the eye and then back up again [2]. The head and promesonotum are mostly smooth and glossy, and the body is densely pilose [2]. Major workers are light reddish yellow, while minors are clear yellow [2].

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Pheidole subsphaerica available for purchase?

No. This is one of the rarest ant species in existence, known only from a single collection in Colombia [1][2]. No colonies are documented as existing in captivity, and it is extremely unlikely that any are available for sale.

How do I care for Pheidole subsphaerica?

This species has never been kept in captivity and absolutely no care information exists. There are no established protocols, no documented temperature or humidity requirements, and no known diet information. Attempting to keep this species would be pure experimentation with extremely low chances of success.

What does Pheidole subsphaerica eat?

Unknown. While most Pheidole species are omnivorous, this species' specific diet has never been documented. Any feeding would be guesswork based on typical Pheidole behavior.

Do Pheidole subsphaerica majors have special behaviors?

Undocumented. The enlarged head of major workers in typical Pheidole is used for seed-crushing and colony defense, but whether P. subsphaerica majors exhibit any specific behaviors related to their uniquely shaped heads is completely unknown.

Where is Pheidole subsphaerica found?

Only known from Chinchina in Caldas, Colombia [1][2]. The exact habitat type is unrecorded, but the region is in the Colombian coffee belt at mid-elevations in the Andes.

How big do Pheidole subsphaerica colonies get?

Unknown. No colony size data exists for this species. Most Pheidole colonies grow to thousands of workers, but we have no information about whether P. subsphaerica follows this pattern.

Is Pheidole subsphaerica a good species for beginners?

No. This species is completely unknown in captivity with no documented care requirements. It is not recommended for any keeper, beginner or experienced, unless you are specifically conducting research and have access to a wild-caught colony.

Does Pheidole subsphaerica need hibernation?

Unknown. As a tropical species from Colombia [1][2], it likely does not require a true hibernation period, but may show reduced activity during cooler seasons. No specific data exists for this species.

Can I keep multiple Pheidole subsphaerica queens together?

Unknown. The colony structure (single queen vs. multiple queens) has not been documented for this species. Without any data, combining queens is not recommended.

Why is Pheidole subsphaerica so rare?

We don't know. It may have an extremely limited geographic range, live in cryptic habitats that are difficult to sample, or simply exist in very small population sizes. It has only been collected once since being described in 2003 [2].

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References

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This caresheet is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 .