Lioponera collingwoodi

Quick Summary

• Difficulty: Not Recommended, Insufficient Data
• Origin & Habitat: Port Said, Egypt (Palaearctic region). The single known specimen was collected from leaf litter in an area inhabited by various terrestrial invertebrates ^[1].
• Colony Type: Unknown, only a single male has ever been collected. No workers, queens, or colonies have been documented ^[1].
• Size & Growth:
  • Queen: Size data unavailable, no queens have ever been collected or described
  • Worker: Size data unavailable, no workers have ever been collected or described
  • Colony: Unknown, colony size has never been documented
  • Growth: Unknown
  • Development: Unknown (No data exists on this species' development.)
• Antkeeping:
  • Temperature: Unknown, no specimens have been kept in captivity
  • Humidity: Unknown, no specimens have been kept in captivity
  • Diapause: Unknown, no biological data exists for this species
  • Nesting: Unknown, the single specimen was collected from leaf litter, suggesting soil or decaying organic matter nesting ^[1]
• Behavior: Completely unknown. No workers have ever been observed, so behavior cannot be assessed.
• Common Issues: This species is known from a single specimen, no captive colonies exist, No information exists on worker morphology, making identification impossible, All biological data (diet, temperature, humidity needs) is completely unknown, Attempting to keep species with no documented captive history is not recommended, The Dorylinae subfamily is notoriously difficult to maintain in captivity due to specialized biology

Species Overview and Known Distribution

Lioponera collingwoodi was described in 2007 from a single male specimen collected in Port Said, Egypt (coordinates 31.17°N,32.18°E) on August 26,2003. The species was originally named Lioponera collingwoodi before being transferred to the genus Lioponera in 2016. The type specimen is housed in the personal collection of M.R. Sharaf. This represents one of the few records of the Dorylinae subfamily in Egypt, with the genus previously unrecorded since Donisthorpe's 1942 report from Maragi in Siwa oasis. The species is named after the British ant taxonomist Cedric A. Collingwood, who examined the specimen and recommended its formal description. The complete absence of worker specimens in any collection suggests this is either an extremely rare species or one that is difficult to collect using standard ant sampling methods. ^[1]

Why This Species Cannot Be Kept

This species is absolutely not suitable for antkeeping for several critical reasons. First, only a single male specimen has ever been collected, no workers, no queen, and no colony have ever been documented. Without workers, there is no way to identify this species in the field or verify what you might be keeping. Second, even if workers were found, nothing is known about their biology: no one knows what they eat, what temperature they need, how they reproduce, or any basic care requirements. Third, the Dorylinae subfamily contains some of the most cryptic and poorly studied ants in the world. Many species are only known from males collected at light traps, with workers never associated. Fourth, attempting to keep species with no documented captive history wastes resources and typically results in colony failure. If you are interested in keeping Dorylinae army ants, consider better-documented species in related genera like Cerapachys or Dorylus that have established captive populations. ^[1]

Related Species and Inferred Care

While Lioponera collingwoodi itself cannot be kept, understanding its subfamily provides context. Dorylinae army ants are a diverse group of over 100 genera, though most are not the iconic swarm-hunting ants most people imagine. Many Dorylinae species are small, cryptic leaf-litter dwellers that nest in soil or decaying wood. They are typically predatory, feeding on other small invertebrates. However, these are general patterns and should not be applied to any actual antkeeping. The key takeaway is that this species represents a scientific mystery rather than a viable candidate for captive husbandry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Report an Issue

The current care sheet is based fully on literature. See inconsistencies, or something that's incorrect? Please report here, it will be resolved after review from an admin. Contributing to the blogs tab also helps providing information, to make us be able to further improve the caresheets. Thank you for your support!

References