Carebara qianliyan

A nest was found in the soil of the floor of broad-leaved forest.

Identification
Terayama (2009) - This species is easily separated from the other Asian congeners by the large body size and the many longitudinal striae on the 1st gastric tergum in the major worker.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Taiwan.

Nomenclature

 *  qianliyan. Carebara qianliyan Terayama, 2009: 152, figs. 230, 231 (s.w.) TAIWAN.

Worker
Holotype major. HL 1.15, HW 1.08, SL 0.50, WL 1.00, PL 0.50, PH 0.40, DPW 0.41, PPL 0.28, PPH 0.38, PPW 0.45, TL 3.8. Minor worker: HL 0040, HW 0.34, SL 0.21, WL 0.38, PL 0.20, PH 0.13, DPW 0.08, PPL 0.10, PPH 0.06, PPW 0.09, TL 1.2. Female: HL 1 .17, HW 1.15, SL 0.63, WL 1.86, PL 0.49, PH 0.40, DPW 0.48, PPL 0.35, PPH 0.35, PPW 0.53, TL 5.3.

Head broad, almost as long as wide, and widest at near posterolateral corners; posterior corner strongly concave; ocelli present; occiput with a pair of small cornic1es at near posterior ocelli; frons and vertex coarsely punctate and with longitudinal striae. Antenna 9-segmented; SI = 47. Compound eye consist of about 10 facets, ca. 0.10 mm in diameter.

Alitrunk robust, dorsal margin of promesonotum almost straight; metanotum incised in dorsum; dorsum of propodeum convex, without spine. Petiolar node higher than long, with narrow reversed U-shaped; in dorsal view, dorsal disc short, 0.44 times as long as wide; subpetiolar process low and short, bearing a blunt anteroventral angle. Postpetiole higher than long, with convex dorsal margin; in dorsal view, dorsal disc trapezoidal, widest at anteriorend, 0.61 times as long as maximum width.

Gaster microreticulate and opaque, strongly punctate, with many longitudinal striae at posterior 1/3.

Paratype. Head rectangular, 1.18 times as long as wide, with almost straight posterior margin and parallel sides. Antenna consist of 9 segments. Pronotum smooth and shining, with weakly convex dorsal margin; metanotal groove slightly incised in dorsum; propodeum microreticulate, with convex dorsal margin, posterodorsal margin round, not forming an angle. Petiole smooth and shining, subptiolar process very low, bearing anteroventral angle. Postpetiole smooth and shining. Gaster including 1st gastral tergum, smooth and shining.

Color. Reddish brown.

Type Material
Holotype. Major worker, Liukuei, Kaohsiung Pref., 17. viii. 1987, M. Terayama leg. Paratypes. 4 major workers, 7 minor workers, If, same data as the holotype. NIAES

Etymology
The specific epithet is the Chinese noun qianliyan, which is the name of a Taiwanese god.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
 * Terayama M. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta: Hymenoptera). Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University. Liberal Arts 17:81-266.
 * Terayama Mamoru. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta, Hymenoptera). The Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University 17: 81-266.
 * Terayama, M. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta; Hymenoptera). The Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University 17: 81-266.