Cylindromyrmex boliviae

Quick Summary

• Difficulty: Expert
• Origin & Habitat: Neotropical region, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela. In Colombia, recorded from Cundinamarca department. ^[4][2][3]
• Colony Type: Unknown, workers have never been described, so colony structure is unconfirmed.
• Size & Growth:
  • Queen: 9.64-10.28 mm ^[1]
  • Worker: Unknown, workers have never been described
  • Colony: Unknown
  • Growth: Unknown
  • Development: Unknown, no development data exists for this species (Workers have never been described, so development timeline cannot be estimated.)
• Antkeeping:
  • Temperature: Unknown, no thermal studies exist for this species.
  • Humidity: Unknown, no humidity data exists for this species.
  • Diapause: Unknown, no seasonal data exists for this species.
  • Nesting: No natural nesting data exists for this species.
• Behavior: Completely unstudied, workers have never been described, so behavior cannot be assessed.
• Common Issues: workers have never been described, this species cannot be kept in captivity, complete lack of biological data makes proper care impossible to determine, no established husbandry protocols exist for this species, risk of obtaining misidentified specimens since only sexuals are known, this species should not be sought after in the ant trade

Species Overview and Identification

Cylindromyrmex boliviae is one of the rarest ant species in existence, known only from queen and male specimens collected in the wild, workers have never been described or observed. The species was first described by Wheeler in 1924 from a queen collected in Bolivia, with males later described by De Andrade in 1998. This species is easily identified by its very broad frontal carinae that reach the internal border of the eyes, massive mandibles with 10-12 denticles, and a postpetiole that is mostly smooth with only traces of superficial striae on the posterior half. Queens measure 9.6-10.3mm in total length, making them among the larger Neotropical ants. The species forms its own distinct clade within Cylindromyrmex and is found across the northern Andes from Bolivia east to Venezuela. ^[1][2][3]

Distribution and Habitat

Cylindromyrmex boliviae is known from four countries in northern South America: Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela. In Colombia, specimens have been recorded from Cundinamarca department. The species appears to inhabit the Andean region, which includes both tropical and subtropical zones depending on elevation. No specific natural history or habitat data exists in the scientific literature, we do not know what microhabitats this species prefers, what elevation range it occupies, or what its daily activity patterns are. This represents a major gap in our knowledge that makes captive husbandry extremely challenging. ^[4][2][5][3]

Why This Species Is Not Recommended for Keepers

This caresheet must be honest: Cylindromyrmex boliviae should NOT be kept by anyone except professional researchers. Workers have never been described, meaning no one has ever observed a colony of this species. We have zero biological data, no one knows what they eat, how they found colonies, what temperature or humidity they need, whether they are predatory, how fast they develop, or even what their workers look like. There are no established husbandry protocols, no documented care requirements, and no way to verify if specimens in the ant trade are correctly identified. Even advanced antkeepers should avoid this species until workers are described and basic biology is documented. ^[1]

Taxonomic Context

Cylindromyrmex belongs to the Dorylinae subfamily. The genus contains several species, all of which are rare and poorly studied. The boliviae species represents its own distinct clade (the boliviae clade) within the genus, separated from other clades by unique morphological characters. One distinctive feature of this species is the presence of a concavity near the trochanter articulation on the hind coxae, this is a unique character not found in other Cylindromyrmex species. The broad frontal carinae reaching the internal border of the eyes easily distinguish C. boliviae queens from all other described species in the genus. ^[1][3]

Frequently Asked Questions

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References