Acanthomyrmex Thailandesis

Acanthomyrmex thailandesis

A peculiar species of ant found in Thailand, Acanothomyrmex thailandesis is a small, ground dwelling ant that can be found amongst the leaf litter of tropical ranforests. Moreover, colonies are also found nesting within hollow crevices, i.e. decomposing bark. 

This species has a very prominent dimorphic caste; workers are small at around 3mm whereas majors are about double in size from 5-6mm. The most notable characteristic that differentiates both of these castes is the large head size of the major. This large globular head has two main purposes: 1) harbors strong muscles which are used to crack fig seeds open - one of their main food sources and 2) protects colony from nest intruders or predators. 

Acanthomyrmex thailandesis is a slow moving species of ant so it is recommended to feed freshly killed insects rather than live. It is important to supplement this with different types of seeds similar in composition to fig seeds (if these cannot be provided). 

Colonies adapt well to Ytong/Plaster and Bioactive formicariums. Temperatures should be maintained at 23-26C and a humidity level of 60%. 

If you're looking for an unusual species of ant that does not require much space and is easy to look after, Acanthomyrmex thailandesis may just be right for you! 

It is illegal and strictly frowned upon to release any non-native ants into the wild.