.jpg){kind=logo}
Carebara anophthalma
| Carebara anophthalma | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Crematogastrini |
| Genus: | Carebara |
| Species: | C. anophthalma |
| Binomial name | |
| Carebara anophthalma (Emery, 1906)
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Identification
Fernández (2004) - A member of the Carebara lignata species complex. This species is easily distinguished from any other of the complex. The body is compact, devoid of median to longer hairs and the head is narrower anteriorly. The clypeal and petiolar configuration are also distinctive. Although I have not been able to examine the holotype of this species, I think that the specimens described match up well with the concept of C. anophthalma, which is still based on the meager original description. Wheeler (1922c) translated Emery’s description into English, from which I have extracted these critical traits: “[Body] uniformly yellow ... short pubescence apparently adherent, and there are not erect hairs, probably due to the defective preservation of the specimen ... head broader behind, feebly concave at the posterior border. Thorax feebly impressed between mesonotum and [propodeum] ... Length 1.6 mm”. This species is the only American typical Carebara s.str. with this combination of traits. The head in full face view is reminiscent of the typical heads of the Carebara escherichi species-group (=Paedalgus) workers.
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 0.8729° to -14.01666667°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Brazil (type locality), Ecuador, Guyana, Peru.
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
Worker
Images from AntWeb
   
| |
| Syntype of Carebara anophthalma. Worker. Specimen code casent0904674. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by MSNG, Genoa, Italy. |
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- anophthalma. Oligomyrmex anophthalmus Emery, 1906c: 138 (footnote) (w.) BRAZIL (Amazonas).
- Type-material: holotype worker.
- Type-locality: Brazil: Amazonas, Ega (= Tefé), ex coll. F. Smith.
- Type-depository: MSNG.
- Combination in Carebara: Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 170; Emery, 1924d: 221.
- Status as species: Wheeler, W.M. 1922e: 4 (redescription); Emery, 1924d: 221; Borgmeier, 1927c: 101; Ettershank, 1966: 127; Kempf, 1972a: 74; Bolton, 1995b: 133; Fernández, 2004a: 212 (redescription); Bezděčková, et al. 2015: 115.
- Senior synonym of winifredae: Fernández, 2004a: 212.
- Distribution: Brazil, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru.
- winifredae. Carebara winifredae Wheeler, W.M. 1922e: 2, fig. 1 (w.q.m.) GUYANA.
- Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated, “numerous”), 4 syntype queens, 6 syntype males.
- Type-locality: Guyana (“British Guiana”): nr Kartabo, left bank of Cuyuni River, 5.viii.1920, under roots of moro tree (A. Emerson).
- Type-depository: MCZC.
- Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1954a: 142 (l.).
- Status as species: Ettershank, 1966: 127; Kempf, 1972a: 74; Bolton, 1995b: 134.
- Junior synonym of anophthalma: Fernández, 2004a: 212.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Fernández (2004) - (n=5): HW 0.31-0.44; HL 0.39-0.50; SL 0.21-0.30; PW 0.20-0.31; WL 0.38-0.55; GL 0.38-055; TL 1.38-1.99; CI 79-90; SI 64-68.
Head slightly longer than wider. Posterior border concave, lateral sides faintly concave, narrowing anteriorly. Mandibles with 4 teeth, the apical larger. Median anterior clypeal border straight. Lateral clypeal carinae narrowing into antennal lobes, which are round. Scapes fail to reach the vertexal border in 1/4 of the head length. In side view, alitrunk flat, very feebly interrumped by the metanotal groove, impressed dorsal and laterally. Promesonotal suture impressed laterally. Short propodeal dorsum rounded in the declivity face. Propodeal spiracle circular, near the median distance and near to bullae of the metapleural gland. Bulla of metapleural gland small. Propodeal lobes reduced to very fine and narrow lamellae that reach more or less the mid distance of the declivity face of propodeum. Petiole peduncle differentiated from the node, anterior and dorsal sides of node convex in side view, posterior side slightly concave. Petiolar spiracle at anterior margin of node. Subpetiolar process reduced to a tiny blunt tooth. Postpetiole dorsally concave, lower than petiole. Body compact, smooth. Reclinated short pilosity (hairs less than 0.05 mm) over body. Median to larger hairs (more than 0.05 in length) absent. Four short hairs arising from the anterior clypeal margin. Body light yellow.
References
- Emery, C. 1906c [1905]. Studi sulle formiche della fauna neotropica. XXVI. Bull. Soc. Entomol. Ital. 37: 107-194 (page 138, (footnote) worker described)
- Emery, C. 1924f [1922]. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Myrmicinae. [concl.]. Genera Insectorum 174C: 207-397 (page 221, Combination in Carebara)
- Fernández, F. 2004a. The American species of the myrmicine ant genus Carebara Westwood (Hymentoptera: Formicidae). Caldasia. 26(1):191-238. (page 212, figs. 5F, G 14 worker described; senior synonym of winifredae)
- Wheeler, W. M. 1922b. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. II. The ants collected by the American Museum Congo Expedition. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 45: 39-269 (page 170, Combination in Carebara)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Bezdeckova K., P. Bedecka, and I. Machar. 2015. A checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Peru. Zootaxa 4020 (1): 101–133.
- Ettershank G. 1966. A generic revision of the world Myrmicinae related to Solenopsis and Pheidologeton (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Aust. J. Zool. 14: 73-171.
- Fernández F. 2004. The American species of the myrmicine ant genus Carebara Westwood (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Caldasia 26: 191-238.
- Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
- Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
- Wheeler W. M. 1922. Neotropical ants of the genera Carebara, Tranopelta and Tranopeltoides, new genus. American Museum Novitates 48: 1-14.
- Wheeler W. M. 1936. Ecological relations of ponerine and other ants to termites. Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. 71: 159-243.