Discothyrea soesilae

Quick Summary

• Difficulty: Expert
• Origin & Habitat: Suriname (South America), specifically collected from Mount Kasikasima in the tropical rainforest region ^[1]. The habitat type is not documented.
• Colony Type: Unknown, only the worker caste has been described. Colony structure (single queen vs multiple queens) has not been documented ^[2].
• Size & Growth:
  • Queen: Unknown, no queen has been described ^[2]
  • Worker: 1.20mm total length ^[1]
  • Colony: Unknown, only a single worker has ever been collected
  • Growth: Unknown
  • Development: Unknown, no brood has ever been observed (Development timeline is completely unstudied.)
• Antkeeping:
  • Temperature: Unknown, no temperature data exists for this species. Temperature needs are unclear, start around 24-28°C and observe ^[3].
  • Humidity: Unknown, no humidity data exists. As a tropical forest floor species from Suriname, they likely need high humidity, but this is unconfirmed.
  • Diapause: Unknown, no seasonal data exists. As a tropical species, they likely do not require diapause, but this is unconfirmed.
  • Nesting: Unknown, no natural nesting observations exist. In captivity, a small test tube setup or mini Y-tong would be appropriate given their tiny size.
• Behavior: Behavior is completely unstudied. Based on genus patterns, Discothyrea ants are typically predatory on small arthropods. Their tiny size means escape prevention is critical, they can squeeze through extremely small gaps. Whether they can sting is unknown.
• Common Issues: This species has never been kept in captivity, there is no established care protocol., Only a single specimen has ever been collected, so wild colony size and structure are unknown., No information exists on founding behavior, making it unclear whether queens are claustral., The extremely small size creates significant escape risk.

Why This Species Is Extremely Challenging

Discothyrea soesilae represents one of the most poorly documented ant species in the world. It is known from a single worker collected in 1996 in Suriname, no queens, no males, no brood, and no behavioral observations have ever been published ^[1][2]. This means there is absolutely no scientific data on how to keep this species alive in captivity. Every aspect of their care (temperature, humidity, diet, nesting preferences, colony structure) is completely unknown. This is not a species for beginners or even experienced antkeepers, it is a species for researchers willing to conduct original discovery through careful observation and experimentation.

What We Know From Morphology

The holotype worker measures just 1.20mm total length, making this one of the smallest ant species in the world ^[1]. They are brown in color with a smooth and shiny body surface ^[1]. The head has short erect hairs ^[1]. The mandibles are very small and notably lack inner teeth, instead they have about 30 fine long hairs on the dorsal side, which helps distinguish them from the similar Discothyrea horni from Panama ^[1][3]. The antennae are brown with an antennal club ^[1]. The mesosoma is also covered in short erect hairs ^[1]. The petiole is extremely narrow ^[1].

Inferred Care Based on Genus Patterns

While nothing specific is known about D. soesilae biology, we can make educated guesses based on what is known about other Discothyrea species. This genus contains tiny predatory ants that likely hunt small micro-arthropods like springtails, mites, and tiny insects. They probably need high humidity similar to other tropical forest floor ants. Their tiny size means they would need excellent escape prevention, even standard test tube cotton could have gaps large enough for them to squeeze through. They would likely accept small live prey items like springtails, but this is entirely speculative.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

This species has only been found in Suriname and has never been exported for the antkeeping hobby. Any specimens would need to be legally collected from the wild, which raises significant ethical and legal concerns. Additionally, since only a single specimen exists in scientific collections, removing individuals from the wild could potentially harm a species that may already be extremely rare.

Frequently Asked Questions

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References