Pheidole parasitica
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Pheidole parasitica faces severe habitat degradation due to agricultural expansion and urban development across its limited range in the Caribbean. The species' specialized parasitic lifestyle makes it particularly vulnerable to disruption of host ant colonies, while invasive ant species compete directly with both the parasite and its hosts. Climate change poses additional risks through altered precipitation patterns that affect the delicate ecological relationships this species depends upon.
Habitat
This parasitic ant species inhabits tropical dry forests and woodland edges in the Caribbean, where it depends on specific host ant colonies for survival. The species requires intact forest ecosystems with stable microclimates that support both the parasite and its host species.
