Carebara luzonensis

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Carebara luzonensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Carebara
Species: C. luzonensis
Binomial name
Carebara luzonensis
Fischer, Azorsa & Fisher, 2014

Pheidologeton-silvestriiL1..jpg

Pheidologeton-silvestriiD1..jpg

Type Specimen Label

Synonyms

The very large gaster in all the specimens is translucent and distended with a yellowish liquid, so that the soldier evidently functions as a co honey-pot, or replete like the same caste in certain species of Pheidole. This is also the case in affinis, since several soldiers from Rangoon, Burma, in my collection show the same condition, though the gaster is smaller than in silvestrii. (Wheeler 1929)

Identification

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Philippines (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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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.
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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.
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Biology

Castes

Nomenclature

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

  • silvestrii. Pheidologeton silvestrii Wheeler, W.M. 1929g: 51 (s.) PHILIPPINES (Luzon I.).
    • Type-material: 4 syntype major workers.
    • Type-locality: Philippines: Luzon, Los Baños (F. Silvestri).
    • Type-depository: MCZC.
    • [Junior secondary homonym of Aneleus silvestrii Santschi, 1914d: 357.]
    • Status as species: Chapman & Capco, 1951: 160; Baltazar, 1966: 258; Ettershank, 1966: 119; Bolton, 1995b: 333.
    • Replacement name: Carebara luzonensis Fischer, et al. 2014: 72.
  • luzonensis. Carebara luzonensis Fischer, et al. 2014: 72.
    • Replacement name for Pheidologeton silvestrii Wheeler, W.M. 1929g: 51. [Junior secondary homonym of Aneleus silvestrii Santschi, 1914d: 357.]
    • Distribution: Philippines (Luzon).

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

Description

Worker

Soldier Length 9-11 mm.

Closely related to affinis Jerdon, and with the same head-proportions (3.5 mm. long, 3 mm. broad). Ocellus lacking. Eyes somewhat more convex. Mandibles more coarsely longitudinally grooved along the dental border. Frontal groove not interrupted on the front. Thorax stouter, with much more convex and protuberant scutellum; base of epinotum shorter, with stouter and moree erect teeth. Petiole in profile of a different shape, the node being more erect, in profile triangular, with straight anterior and posterior surfaces and more acute border; seen from behind the node is rectangular, with straight, transverse superior border, and straight subparallel sides, not narrowed and rounded above as in affinis; ventral surface with a distinct, dependent, median, translucent lamina. Postpetiole also different, being much broader, distinctly angulate on the sides anterior to the middle, with the node abruptly concave posteriorly. Gaster much more voluminous.

Whole body somewhat less shining than in affinis; sculpture much coarser; the whole upper surface of the head rugose, the rugae arranged as in affinis but stronger and more numerous on the sides and front, the median shining area of affinis being merely indicated; transverse rugae on the sides of the head passing into a coarsely reticulate-rugose region on the posterior corners. Pronotum sharply and regularly transversely rugose; mesonotum and scutellum coarsely punctate; base of epinotum and declivity finely transversely rugose. Petiole and postpetiole subopaque, finely punctate-rugulose on the sides and smooth and shining only on the upper surfaces of the nodes; porterior surface of petiolar node transversely rugose. Gaster less shining than in affinis, with more numerous, fine, sharp punctures over its whole dorsal surface. On the first segment these are intermingled with coarser, umbilicate punctures.

Pilosity fulvous, decidedly more abundant than in affinis. Dark ferruginous brown; cheeks, front, epinotal declivity and gaster paler and more reddish; appendages brownish orange; antennae a little darker than the legs; mandibles, clypeus and anterior corners of the head black.

Type Material

Described from four specimens taken by Professor Silvestri at Los Banos, Luzon Island, Philippines.

References

  • Fischer, G., Azorsa, F. & Fisher, B.L. 2014. The ant genus Carebara Westwood (Hymenoptera, Formicidae): synonymisation of Pheidologeton Mayr under Carebara, establishment and revision of the C. polita species group. ZooKeys 438: 57–112.
  • Wheeler, W. M. 1929h. Ants collected by Professor F. Silvestri in Formosa, the Malay Peninsula and the Philippines. Boll. Lab. Zool. Gen. Agrar. R. Sc. Super. Agric. 24: 27-64 (page 51, soldier described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Ettershank G. 1966. A generic revision of the world Myrmicinae related to Solenopsis and Pheidologeton (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Aust. J. Zool. 14: 73-171.