Agraulomyrmex damohensis

Quick Summary

• Difficulty: Expert
• Origin & Habitat: Tropical forest in Damoh, Madhya Pradesh, India (23.5185°N,79.7771°E) ^[1][2]
• Colony Type: Unknown, only a single worker specimen has ever been collected ^[1][2]
• Size & Growth:
  • Queen: Unknown, no queens have been collected ^[1]
  • Worker: 1.1 mm total length ^[1][2]
  • Colony: Unknown
  • Growth: Unknown
  • Development: Unknown (No development data exists for this species.)
• Antkeeping:
  • Temperature: Unknown, likely warm based on tropical Indian habitat ^[1]
  • Humidity: Unknown, likely moderate to high based on forest floor habitat ^[1]
  • Diapause: Likely not required, tropical species typically do not hibernate ^[1]
  • Nesting: Unknown, likely soil or leaf litter based on related Plagiolepidini tribe patterns
• Behavior: Unknown, only one individual has been observed ^[1]. Tiny size suggests extreme escape risk if ever kept.
• Common Issues: only one specimen exists in a museum collection, you cannot legally obtain this species currently., extremely small size (1.1 mm) means they would escape through standard test tube cotton or mesh barriers., no information exists on diet, founding behavior, or colony structure., no queens have ever been collected, founding a colony is currently impossible.

Discovery and Rarity

Agraulomyrmex damohensis is one of the rarest ants in scientific collections. Researchers described this species in 2021 based on a single worker ant collected from a forest in Damoh, Madhya Pradesh, India on September 11,2020 ^[1][2]. The holotype specimen sits in the National Pusa Collection at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi ^[1]. No other specimens have been found since.

This species breaks the geographic pattern of its genus. All other Agraulomyrmex species live in Africa, making this Indian population a remarkable disjunct distribution ^[3]. The forest where it was found sits at roughly 23.5°N latitude in central India, suggesting a tropical to subtropical climate with seasonal monsoon patterns.

Physical Identification

You can identify this ant by its extremely small size and unique antennae. Workers measure only 1.1 mm total body length ^[1][2]. The body is smooth, shiny, and bright yellow with black eyes ^[2].

Key features include nine antenna segments without a distinct club at the end, other Agraulomyrmex species have different antenna structures ^[1]. The mandibles carry five teeth with a very small third tooth ^[2]. The head is slightly longer than wide with almost straight back edges and rounded corners ^[1]. Unlike many ants, they have no ocelli (simple eyes) on top of the head ^[2].

Theoretical Care Guidelines

Since no one has kept this species, these guidelines are educated guesses based on related ants in the tribe Plagiolepidini and the collection habitat. If you somehow obtained live specimens, you would face extreme challenges.

Temperature and humidity would likely need to match tropical Indian forest conditions, perhaps 24-28°C with moderate to high humidity ^[1]. They would probably nest in soil or leaf litter, so a naturalistic setup with fine substrates might work better than artificial nests. The tiny 1.1 mm size means you would need specialized equipment, standard test tubes with cotton plugs would be escape routes, not barriers. You would need extremely fine mesh and perfect seals.

Why This Species Is Currently Unavailable

You cannot keep Agraulomyrmex damohensis because the only known individual is preserved in a museum. No live colonies exist in captivity, and no queen specimens have ever been collected. Without queens, you cannot start a colony.

Even if more specimens were found, the extreme rarity suggests any collection would need to prioritize scientific study over pet keeping. The species may be genuinely rare in the wild, or it may be cryptic, living underground or in specific microhabitats that researchers have not yet searched. Until researchers collect living colonies and publish basic biological data, this species remains outside the realm of ant keeping. ^[1][2]

Frequently Asked Questions

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References