Mycetophylax clorindae

Quick Summary

• Difficulty: Medium
• Origin & Habitat: Native to southern South America (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay), found in grassland habitats at southern latitudes comparable to 29°S in Brazil ^[3][4]. Nests are located underground at depths of 15-30 cm in soil ^[2].
• Colony Type: Monogyne (single queen colonies). Colonies are monogynous with one queen per nest, though multiple nests can form aggregations in close proximity ^[2].
• Size & Growth:
  • Queen: ~4-5 mm, inferred from genus typical sizes
  • Worker: ~2-3 mm, inferred from genus typical sizes
  • Colony: Up to ~100 workers in mature colonies (Nest A had 97 workers, Nest B had 44 workers) ^[2]
  • Growth: Moderate
  • Development: 6-10 weeks, inferred from related lower Attina species at warm temperatures (Development time is inferred from genus-level data since specific measurements are not available.)
• Antkeeping:
  • Temperature: Keep at 24-28°C for active growth. This species comes from subtropical southern Brazil where temperatures are warm during the active season. Higher temperatures help break hibernation and stimulate activity ^[2].
  • Humidity: Moderate to high. These ants nest underground at 15-30 cm depth in soil, indicating they prefer stable, moderately humid conditions. The fungus garden needs consistent moisture but should not be waterlogged.
  • Diapause: Yes, required during winter. In their native habitat (southern Brazil, ~29°S), colonies enter hibernation during the austral winter (roughly May-September). During this time, only 10-15 workers remain active while the queen and most workers become coated in fungal mycelium and enter a dormant state ^[3][2]. Simulate this by reducing temperature to 15-18°C for 3-4 months.
  • Nesting: Underground nests at 15-30 cm depth. In captivity, use a naturalistic setup with deep soil (at least 10-15 cm) or a plaster nest with chambers. The key requirement is space for a fungal garden chamber that can hold the spherical garden. Test tubes can work for founding but colonies will need more space as they grow.
• Behavior: Generally peaceful and non-aggressive. Workers are small and primarily focused on fungus cultivation rather than defense. They possess a stinger but it is not medically significant to humans, more of a mild irritant compared to fire ants. Foraging activity centers on collecting plant material (grass fragments, seeds) to feed their fungus garden. Escape risk is moderate, their small size means they can slip through small gaps, but they are not strong climbers. Active workers number only 10-15 per colony even in mature nests, so the visible ant population will always seem small ^[2].
• Common Issues: Fungus garden failure is the primary risk, without their specific fungal symbiont, the colony will not survive. Never remove or disturb the garden., Hibernation stress can kill colonies if not properly managed. Only 10-15 workers remain active during winter, and disturbing the colony during this period can be fatal., Small colony size means slow population growth, beginners may lose patience and overfeed, which can mold the fungus garden., Temperature management is critical, they need warmth (24-28°C) during active season but must experience a proper winter dormancy period., Underground nesting means they need depth, shallow nests will stress the colony and may cause abandonment.

The Fungus Garden - Their Most Critical Need

Mycetophylax clorindae belongs to the 'lower agriculture' group of fungus-farming ants, meaning they cultivate a more primitive fungal symbiont (Clade-2) compared to the advanced leafcutter ants (Atta and Acromyrmex) ^[1]. Their fungus garden is the heart of the colony, without it, the ants cannot survive. The garden consists of a spherical mass that workers build from the bottom of the chamber, filling it with grass leaf-fragments (up to 4mm long), grass seeds (1.0-1.5mm diameter), and other plant material ^[2]. Workers constantly tend the garden, adding new plant material and maintaining the fungal mycelium. In captivity, you must provide appropriate plant material (finely chopped grass, small seeds) for the ants to feed their fungus. Never remove or disturb the garden, it is alive and essential to colony survival.

Hibernation and the Remarkable Fungus-Coating Behavior

This species has one of the most unusual behaviors in all of antkeeping: deliberate fungus-planting onto nestmates during winter hibernation. In their native southern Brazil habitat (around 29°S latitude), colonies enter dormancy during the austral winter ^[3]. During this time, only 10-15 workers remain active while the queen and most workers curl up motionless, covered in fungal mycelium that active workers deliberately plant onto them ^[2]. Each queen receives approximately 60 mycelial tufts and 5 small grass fragments. Workers plant mycelium onto the neck region (between head and mesosoma), crevices between legs, and the petiolar region. This coating likely provides physical protection, prevents desiccation, and may help defend against parasites and diseases ^[2]. In captivity, you must simulate this cycle by reducing temperatures to 15-18°C for 3-4 months during winter.

Nest Architecture and Housing

In the wild, M. clorindae builds relatively simple nests consisting of a single vertical tunnel (1.0-1.5mm diameter) leading to one or more garden chambers at depths of 15-30 cm ^[2]. The main chamber holds the spherical fungus garden, which rests on the chamber floor and fills most of the space. Some nests also have a small empty chamber (likely the original foundress chamber) at shallower depth. In captivity, provide a naturalistic setup with at least 10-15 cm of soil depth, or use a plaster formicarium with appropriately sized chambers. The key requirement is space for the fungus garden, it cannot be compressed or the fungus will die. Avoid tall vertical setups, these are horizontal, ground-nesting ants.

Feeding Your Colony

As fungus farmers, M. clorindae does not eat conventional ant foods. Instead, they collect plant material to feed their fungal symbiont, which then becomes their food source. In the wild, workers gather short grass leaf-fragments (up to 4mm), grass seeds (1.0-1.5mm), and other plant debris ^[2]. In captivity, provide finely chopped fresh grass, small seeds, or dried plant material. Offer small amounts at a time and remove any uneaten material before it molds, mold is extremely dangerous to the fungus garden. Do NOT offer sugar water, honey, or protein foods like insects, these are not part of their natural diet and can harm the fungus. The ants themselves consume nothing but the fungal mycelium they cultivate.

Temperature and Seasonal Care

During the active season (roughly October-April in the Southern Hemisphere), keep colonies at 24-28°C. Higher temperatures stimulate activity and help colonies break out of hibernation, research shows that colonies maintained at elevated temperatures after winter disturbance quickly resume normal activity, with only 1-2 hibernating workers retaining mycelium coating ^[2]. During winter (May-September), simulate austral winter by reducing temperatures to 15-18°C for 3-4 months. This hibernation period is essential for colony health, without it, the colony will not follow its natural cycle and may decline. The species occurs at southern latitudes where seasonal temperature swings are pronounced, so they are adapted to this cycling.

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