Amoimyrmex striatus
| Latin Name: |  |
Amoimyrmex striatus |
| Trivialname: |  |
- |
| Taxonomy: |  |
Subfamily: Myrmicinae (Knotted ants) Tribus: Attini |
| Keeping Level: |  |
(3) Only for advanced keepers due to the high feed and space requirements, as well as the special climatic conditions. |
| Distribution: |  |
Southamerica, southern Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina |
| Habitat: |  |
In regions with flat vegetation and on forest edges |
| Colonyform: |  |
polygyne |
| Queen: |  |
Size: 12 - 13mm Colour: light brown to reddish, reddish to black gaster |
| Worker: |  |
Size: 5 - 12mm Colour: light brown to reddish |
| Soldier: |  |
not present |
| Males: |  |
Size: 7mm Colour: light brown, similar to queen with small head |
| Nutrition |  |
a self-grown fungus (Leucoagaricus gongylophorus) that is cultivated by the workers with the leaves, flowers and fruits of mostly rose plants. Special protein bodies on the fungal hyphae are harvested and fed to the queen and brood. The workers feed on the exuding plant sap. The additional use of sugar or honey water is recommended. Possible food plants are: Blackberry, raspberry, rose, buxus, elder, lime, wild vine, black locust, apples, orange, banana, grapes, in an emergency also oat flakes. It is advisable to spray feed leaves with water before feeding. |
| Airhumidity: |  |
Arena: 40 - 70% Nest area: 80 - 90% Waste chamber: 30 - 40% |
| Temperature: |  |
Arena: 21 - 28°C Nest area: 24 - 28°C |
| Hibernation: |  |
no |
| Nestform: |  |
Earth nests with many chambers but not as large as Atta's, also under wood or stones. |
| Kind of Formicaria: |  |
Arena or acrylic cylinder, generally at least in a 3-basin system (nest basin, feeding basin, waste basin) |
| Formicaria size: |  |
L - XL !!! with growing colony min. 3 demarcated areas for fungus, food and waste !!!! |
| Substrate: |  |
Farm: Sand-Loam Arena: Sand, Sand-Loam |
| Planting: |  |
- |
| Decoration: |  |
- |
| Description: |  |
Amoimyrmex striatus is a small leafcutter species from South America that cuts flowering plants in the wild. In contrast to Atta, they migrate long distances to their harvesting areas and need longer distances to develop optimally when kept. |
| Development: |  |
Nuptial flight: over a longer period between October and January. Founding: occurs claustrally but with a piece of fungal hyphae from the mother colony, which is supplied with faeces from the queen. A queen can live for about 15 years. Colony size: approx. 20,000 individuals |
| Quantity: |  |
a mated queen with fungus and workers (see selection); brood (varies according to season and development) |
| Weblinks: |  |
- Reference |