Monomorium amri

Quick Summary

• Difficulty: Experimental
• Origin & Habitat: Known only from the Asir Mountains of Saudi Arabia (Rejal Alma'a, Wadi Zat Alheili) at approximately 1096m elevation ^[1]. The region is arid mountain terrain in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
• Colony Type: Unconfirmed, colony structure has not been documented for this species. Most Monomorium species are monogyne (single queen) but some can be polygyne. Without any biological study, the colony type for M. amri is unknown.
• Size & Growth:
  • Queen: Unknown, queen has not been described or collected ^[1]
  • Worker: 3.15-3.52mm based on paratype measurements ^[1]
  • Colony: Unknown, no colony size data exists ^[1]
  • Growth: Unknown
  • Development: Unknown, development has not been studied ^[1] (No data exists on development. Related Monomorium species typically develop from egg to worker in 4-8 weeks at warm temperatures, but this is a rough estimate only.)
• Antkeeping:
  • Temperature: Unconfirmed, no thermal studies exist for this species. The Asir Mountains experience hot summers and cool winters. Estimated range based on genus: 20-28°C, likely tolerating a broader range. Start at room temperature (22-24°C) and observe colony activity.
  • Humidity: Unconfirmed, no humidity data exists. The collection site at 1096m elevation suggests moderate humidity tolerance. As a starting point, keep nest substrate moderately moist but not waterlogged, similar to other small Monomorium species.
  • Diapause: Unknown, no seasonal data exists. The Asir Mountains region has a mild winter, but whether this species requires any dormancy period is unconfirmed.
  • Nesting: Unconfirmed, no natural nesting observations exist. Most Monomorium species nest in soil, under stones, or in rotting wood. A small test tube setup or Y-tong nest with appropriately scaled chambers would be appropriate for their tiny size.
• Behavior: Undocumented, no behavioral observations exist for this species. As a Monomorium, they are likely relatively docile with typical small-ant foraging patterns. Their tiny size (under 4mm) means escape prevention is critical, they can squeeze through very small gaps. No information exists on aggression, stinging, or foraging behavior. This species belongs to the subfamily Myrmicinae and tribe Solenopsidini, which typically use stingers as their primary defense mechanism.
• Common Issues: no biological data exists, this is a newly described species with zero captive husbandry information, tiny size means excellent escape prevention is essential, use fine mesh and tight-fitting lids, queen has never been collected or described, founding behavior is completely unknown, no information on diet acceptance, must experiment cautiously with small live prey and sugar sources, colony size and growth rate are unknown, keepers should expect slow establishment based on limited founding data

Species Discovery and Status

Monomorium amri was only formally described in 2025,making it one of the most recently discovered ant species available in the antkeeping hobby. It was collected by Mostafa R. Sharaf and colleagues in September 2024 from Rejal Alma'a in the Asir Province of Saudi Arabia ^[1]. The species name 'amri' was chosen as a patronym to honor Amr M. Sharaf, son of the senior author ^[1]. Currently, the only known specimens are the holotype and paratypes, a total of 25 workers from a single collection event ^[1]. This means there are no established captive colonies and no biological data whatsoever. Any antkeeper attempting to keep this species will be essentially pioneering its husbandry from scratch.

Identification and Morphology

This is a tiny ant species with workers measuring 3.15-3.52mm in total length ^[1]. The most distinctive identification features include: the scape (antenna segment) is notably short and fails to reach the posterior margin of the head when laid back, the body surface (except the gaster) has a distinctive granular or pitted sculpture with nearly pentagonal pits, the gaster has a dull, shagreened appearance rather than being smooth and glossy ^[1]. The coloration is bicolored, head, mesosoma, legs, and antennae are yellowish while the gaster is black-brown to black ^[1]. There are also distinctive forked setae on the promesonotum and mesonotum, and the underside of the head has projecting setae ^[1]. These morphological details are important for distinguishing it from similar Arabian Monomorium species.

Habitat and Distribution

Monomorium amri is currently known only from a single location in the Asir Mountains of Saudi Arabia, specifically Rejal Alma'a in Wadi Zat Alheili at approximately 18.279°N 42.259°E and 1096 meters elevation ^[1]. The Asir Mountains region in southwestern Saudi Arabia is characterized by arid to semi-arid conditions, with vegetation adapted to limited rainfall. The elevation of approximately 1100m suggests a slightly cooler and potentially more humid microclimate than the surrounding lowlands. Nothing is known about the specific microhabitat preferences of this species, whether it prefers shaded areas, open ground, specific soil types, or nesting under rocks. The collection date of September 2024 provides a single data point but no information about seasonal activity patterns.

Keeping an Undescribed Species

Keeping Monomorium amri presents a unique challenge: this is a species with absolutely no documented biology, care requirements, or captive husbandry information. Unlike most ant species in the hobby where at least some care parameters are known, everything about keeping M. amri must be learned through experimentation. The best approach is to start with general Monomorium care parameters and adjust based on colony observations. Keep the nest at room temperature (around 22-24°C) initially and provide a moisture gradient so the ants can self-regulate. Offer small live prey (fruit flies, pinhead crickets, springtails) and sugar sources (honey, sugar water) to determine preferences. Because this is a tiny species (under 4mm), escape prevention must be excellent, use fine mesh and ensure all openings are sealed. Document your observations carefully, as any information gathered would be genuinely new to science.

Estimated Care Parameters

Based solely on general Monomorium genus patterns (not species-specific data), the following can be used as starting points: Temperature around 22-26°C likely suits them, with a gradient allowing the colony to choose. Humidity should be moderate, keep the nest substrate moist but not saturated, with some drier areas available. They are tiny ants, so appropriately scaled nesting space is essential, test tubes with small reservoirs or Y-tong nests with narrow chambers work well. Diet should include small live prey and sugar sources, though acceptance must be observed rather than assumed. Most Monomorium species are claustral founders (queen seals herself in and lives off stored fat), but this is unconfirmed for M. amri. Colony size is unknown but likely modest based on typical genus patterns.

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References