Scientific illustration of Pheidole dinophila ant - showing key identification features including head, thorax, and gaster.

Pheidole dinophila

Non-Parasitic Queen Não Gamergate
Nome científico
Pheidole dinophila
Tribo
Attini
Subfamília
Myrmicinae
Autor
Wilson, 2003
Distribuição
Encontrada em 1 países

Introdução

Pheidole dinophila is a tiny commensal ant species native to Brazil, found in Mato Grosso do Sul and São Paulo . It lives exclusively inside nests of the giant ant Dinoponera australis, which is why its name means 'lover of the terrible' . Majors have a dark reddish-brown body, while minors are medium reddish-brown . Head widths are about 1mm for majors and 0.6mm for minors, but full body size data is unavailable .

Carregando mapa de distribuição...

Status por país, desde Kass et al. 2022 & Wong et al. 2023

Nativa Invasiva Introduzida (Ambiente urbano/interno) Interceptada Desconhecido
Fontes de dados
Intervalo de anos 2000 - 2026

Quick Summary

  • Difficulty: Expert
  • Origin & Habitat: Brazil, in Mato Grosso do Sul (near Campo Grande and Serra da Bodoquena) and São Paulo (Itirapina) [1][2]. Lives within nests of Dinoponera grandis in tropical environments [2].
  • Colony Type: Commensal species that lives inside host Dinoponera grandis nests. Colony structure and queen number are not well documented [2].
  • Size & Growth:
    • Queen: size data unavailable
    • Worker: size data unavailable
    • Colony: Unknown, likely small due to commensal lifestyle
    • Growth: Unknown
    • Development: Unknown, no direct studies (Development likely depends on host colony conditions)
  • Antkeeping:
    • Temperature: Keep warm, roughly 24-28°C, as inferred from tropical Brazilian species [2].
    • Humidity: Keep nest substrate consistently moist but not waterlogged, based on typical tropical forest conditions [2].
    • Diapause: Unknown, tropical species may have reduced activity in cooler months, but true hibernation is unlikely [2].
    • Nesting: Requires a host Dinoponera grandis colony to survive. In captivity, you must maintain both species together, which is extremely advanced and not documented [2].
  • Behavior: This species is non-aggressive and relies on its host for protection. Their tiny size means they could escape through small gaps if separated from host colonies. Behavior within host nests is poorly documented [2].
  • Common Issues: this species cannot be kept independently, it requires a host Dinoponera grandis colony., keeping two colonies increases complexity and cost dramatically., host colony maintenance is challenging as Dinoponera are large, aggressive ants., the commensal relationship may be disrupted in captivity, risking survival., limited availability, this species is rarely collected or available in the antkeeping hobby.

The Commensal Relationship

Pheidole dinophila lives as a commensal organism inside nests of the giant ant Dinoponera grandis, which can reach 2-3cm in length [2]. This relationship is non-predatory, meaning P. dinophila likely benefits from shelter and food scraps without harming the host. In the wild, you would only find them inside Dinoponera nests, making them hard to locate and study [2]. This lifestyle explains why little is known about their colony structure or founding behavior.

Housing Requirements

You cannot keep P. dinophila in a standard setup. You must first establish a healthy Dinoponera grandis colony as the host. Dinoponera are large, aggressive ants with a painful sting, so they are not suitable for beginners. Introducing P. dinophila to the host setup is advanced and has not been documented in captivity [2].

Feeding and Diet

The diet of P. dinophila in captivity is unstudied. In nature, they likely scavenge food scraps within Dinoponera nests. Without captive colonies, any feeding recommendations are speculative [2].

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Pheidole dinophila is native to Brazil and should not be in the international trade. If encountered for sale, it may be wild-caught, which could violate wildlife laws. Removing them from their habitat could harm the commensal relationship with Dinoponera grandis [1][2].

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I keep Pheidole dinophila in a normal ant setup?

No. This species requires a host Dinoponera grandis colony to survive. You would need to establish a host colony first, which is extremely advanced and not documented in captivity [2].

What do Pheidole dinophila eat?

Their diet in captivity is unknown. In nature, they likely scavenge from host nests. Without captive colonies, we cannot confirm their dietary needs [2].

How long do Pheidole dinophila live?

Colony lifespan has not been studied. This species has never been maintained in captivity, so lifecycle data does not exist [2].

Are Pheidole dinophila dangerous?

No. They are tiny and pose no threat, but their host Dinoponera grandis has a potent sting [2].

Where can I find Pheidole dinophila?

This species is only found inside Dinoponera grandis nests in Brazil (Mato Grosso do Sul and São Paulo) [1][2]. It is not available in the antkeeping hobby and requires fieldwork in Brazil with permits.

Do Pheidole dinophila queens fly?

Nuptial flight behavior has not been documented. Like other Pheidole, they likely have mating flights, but specifics are unknown [2].

Is Pheidole dinophila good for beginners?

No. This species is not suitable for beginners or intermediate keepers. It requires maintaining a host colony of large, stinging ants and has never been kept in captivity [2].

What temperature do Pheidole dinophila need?

As a tropical species, they likely need warm temperatures around 24-28°C, but exact requirements are unknown since they live within host nests [2].

How big do Pheidole dinophila colonies get?

Colony size is unknown. Being commensal likely limits their numbers, but no specific data exists [2].

Why is Pheidole dinophila so rare in the hobby?

This species cannot be kept independently and requires a host Dinoponera grandis colony. It is only found in specific regions of Brazil, making it difficult to locate and collect [2].

Report an Issue

The current care sheet is based fully on literature. See inconsistencies, or something that's incorrect? Please , 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

Creative Commons License

Este guia de cuidados está sob a licença CC BY-SA 4.0 .