Carebara tenua

Carebara tenua
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Crematogastrini
Genus:	Carebara
Species:	C. tenua
Binomial name
	Carebara tenua; Fernández, 2004

These soldiers were apparently collected in or near a termite nest. (Fernández 2004)

Identification

Fernández (2004) - A member of the Carebara lignata species complex. Similar to Carebara coeca but C. tenua is larger. The Carebara urichi soldier is bigger, robust, with strong sculpturing and angular propodeum. The Carebara panamensis soldier/ergatoid specimen has eyes (although unequal in size), marked sculpturing on the head, and tenuous sculpturing on pronotum and promesonotum. Carebara bruchi, from Argentina, is also closely-related. I have not seen the types for this species, described from a female (Santschi 1933), and for which Kusnezov (1951) proposed a (very brief) description of a dinergatogyne. The latter author also illustrated the worker thorax, the form and size of which imply that it is not possible to distinguish it from a C. panamensis worker.

The C. tenua worker is unknown, although it is probably very similar to that of C. panamensis.

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Brazil (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.

Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.

Biology

Castes

Known only from the soldier caste.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

tenua. Carebara tenua Fernández, 2004a: 223, figs. 7A-B, 14 (s.) BRAZIL (Mato Grosso).
- Type-material: holotype major worker, 2 paratype major workers.
- Type-locality: holotype Brazil: Mato Grosso, Belo Horizonte, 29.vii.1975, no. 6217 (R.L. Araujo); paratypes with same data.
- Type-depositories: MZSP (holotype); ICNB, MZSP (paratypes).
- Distribution: Brazil.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Major Type: HW 0.66; HL 0.93; SL 0.35; PW 0.39; WL 0.76; GL 1.13; TL 3.39; CI 71; SI 53.

Head rectangular, posterior border deeply, semicircularly excised, sides straight, parallel. Mandible stout, masticatory border straight, forming an angle about 90° with basal border. Masticatory border with 5 stout teeth. Clypeus narrow, medial portion slightly concave. Frontal triangle well-defined. Frontal lobes somewhat continued posteriorly as short longitudinal rugulae. Scapes very short. Anterior ocellus present, otherwise eyeless. In side view mesosoma flat, metanotum slightly higher, propodeum lower. Pronotal suture feebly impressed dorsally. Metanotum narrow, much shorter than pronotum in dorsal view. Dorsal face of propodeum evenly curved on sloping face, without spines or angulations. Propodeal spiracle rounded, close to metapleural gland bullae. Petiole with short peduncle, lateral swellings and strong subpetiolar process. Postpetiole in posterior view campanuliform, ventrally with anterior carinae. Body subopaque, smooth. Head with a very tenuous longitudinal rugulation. Anterior half of pronotum reticulated, otherwise pronotum and mesonotum smooth, with dark piligerous points. Metapleura with a poorly-defined longitudinal striation, petiole and postpetiole with fine reticulation. Pubescence very sparse on head, otherwise absent. Long hairs (about 0.13 mm) densely over head, several on promesonotum, petiole, postpetiole and gaster. Body brown to light brown, head slightly darker.

Type Material

Holotype. BRAZIL. Mato Grosso: 1 soldier, Belo Horizonte, 29 jul 1975, R.L. Araújo No. 6217, deposited in Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo. Paratypes. 2 soldiers, same data as type, Insect Collection, Instituto de Ciencias Naturales and MZSP.

References

Fernández, F. 2004a. The American species of the myrmicine ant genus Carebara Westwood (Hymentoptera: Formicidae). Caldasia. 26(1):191-238. (page 223, figs. 7A,B, 14 major worker described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Fernández F. 2004. The American species of the myrmicine ant genus Carebara Westwood (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Caldasia 26: 191-238.
Gonzalo Andrade-C. M., and J. D. Lynch. 2007. Los tipos nomenclatures depositaods en la colleccion zoologica del instituto de ciencias naturales. INSTITUTO DE CIENCIAS NATURALES-FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE COLOMBIA BIBLIOTECA JOSÉ JERÓNIMO TRIANA No. 16, 212 pages.
Ulyssea M. A., C. R. F. Brandao. 2013. Catalogue of Dacetini and Solenopsidini ant type specimens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae) deposited in the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brazil. Papies Avulsos de Zoologia 53(14): 187-209.