Carebara spinata

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
Bharti & Kumar (2013) - Although, C. spinata is close to Carebara obtusidenta it can be separated from latter by the combination of following characteristics: major worker with head slightly longer with convex sides, CI 84.62-84.91, ventral face of peduncle straight, dorsum and sides of head longitudinally rugose up to vertex and posterior margin of head transversally rugose and worker (minor) with occipital horns, but in C. obtusidenta, major worker with head much longer, with straight and parallel sides, CI 76-81, ventral face of peduncle concave, anterior 2/3rd of head densely, finely striate and posterior 1/3rd of head dorsum and lateral sides reticulate, while workers are without occipital horns.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India.

Castes
Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

 *  spinata. Carebara spinata Bharti & Kumar, 2013: 59, figs. 25-30 (w.) INDIA.

Worker
Major. Measurements. Holotype Ψ. HL 0.52, HW 0.44, SL 0.23, ML 0.12, ED 0.02, MSL 0.40, PW 0.24, PTL 0.14, PPTL 0.10, PTW 0.10, PPTW 0.10, PTH 0.11, PPTH 0.07, GL 0.37, TL 1.65, CI 84.62, EI 4.55, SI 52.27.

Paratype Ψ. HL 0.52-0.53, HW 0.44-0.45, SL 0.23, ML 0.11-0.12, ED 0.02, MSL 0.38-0.40, PW 0.24, PTL 0.13-0.14, PPTL 0.10, PTW 0.10, PPTW 0.10, PTH 0.11, PPTH 0.07-0.08, GL 0.37-0.38, TL 1.63-1.65, CI 84.62-84.91, EI 4.44-4.55, SI 51.11-52.27 (7 measured).

Head large, massive, slightly longer than broad, sides convex; posterior margin of head emarginated with rounded corners, and minute horns in profile; clypeus longitudinally depressed, anterior margin concave with two lateral teeth; mandibles triangular, masticatory margin with five teeth; frontal lobes developed, flat and cover the condylar bulb; eyes with a single ommatidium, situated below mid-length of head at a distance of 0.13mm from mandibular insertions into head; antennae slender, nine segmented; scape short, almost reach to half of the distance from antennal insertions to posterior margin of head and 0.44x of head length; promesonotum weakly convex; promesonotal suture absent; metanotal groove narrow and deep; dorsal face of propodeum short, flat, sloping backwards; propodeal spines short, triangular and slightly down curved; declivitous face of propodeum concave with thin lateral laminae; petiole with a short peduncle, ventral face straight, node convex, thick at base; postpetiole dorsum almost flat, as broad as long; gaster broadly oval.

Head longitudinally rugose up to vertex, posterior margin of head transversally rugose, interrugal space punctured and subopaque; frontal lobes and sides of head longitudinally rugose; clypeus with divergent lateral carinae; clypeus and mandibles smooth and shiny; whole mesosoma and petiole densely foveolate punctured; propodeal declivity, postpetiole, gaster and legs smooth and shiny.

Whole body yellowish brown with masticatory margin of mandibles blackish; body covered with subdecumbent pubescence and long erect to suberect hairs; scape, middle and hind tibiae with short subdecumbent hairs only.

Minor. Measurements. Paratypes. HL 0.33-0.36, HW 0.28-0.31, SL 0.19-0.21, ML 0.05-0.08, ED 0.02, MSL 0.28-0.32, PW 0.18-0.20, PTL 0.08-0.11, PPTL 0.07, PTW 0.06-0.07, PPTW 0.06-0.08, PTH 0.07-0.08, PPTH 0.06, GL 0.27-0.30, TL 1.08-1.24, CI 84.85-86.11, EI 6.45-7.14, SI 67.74-67.86 (10 measured).

Head slightly longer than broad, not much massive, posterior margin of head without minute horns in profile; eyes situated below mid-length of head at a distance of 0.07-0.08mm from mandibular insertions into head; scape short, slightly cross half of the distance from antennal insertion to posterior margin of head and almost 0.58x of head length.

Genae longitudinally rugulose; head densely foveolate punctured except anteromedian part behind posterior clypeal margin with prominent longitudinal rugae up to half length of scape behind which fade out; foveolate punctures on the head larger (0.02mm) than mesosoma. Rest like major worker.

Etymology
The specific epithet refers to presence of propodeal spines.

Type Material
Holotype major worker, India: Uttarakhand, Dakpathar, 30.516428°N 77.784877°E, 750m, 20.viii.2009, soil core; R. Kumar Leg.;. Paratypes. India. Uttarakhand: Rajaji Forest Area, 660m, 1 major worker, 11.08.2009, winkler, 2 workers, 11.08.2009, winkler, 3 workers, 11.08.2009, winkler; Dakpathar, 750m, 26 workers, 20.08.2009, soil core, 4 major workers, 20.08.2009, soil core. Himachal Pradesh: Lwasa, 1200m, 1 major worker, 27.08.2009, soil core; 9 workers, 27.08.2009, soil core; Ghati, 450m, 1 worker, 28.09.2009, soil core. Jammu and Kashmir: Shukrala 1040m, 1 worker, 07.08.2010, soil core. R. Kumar Leg.; PUPAC.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Bharti H., and R. Kumar. 2013. Six new species of Carebara Westwood (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with restructuring of world species groups and a key to Indian species. J. Entomol. Res. Soc. 15(1): 47-67.
 * Dad J. M., S. A. Akbar, H. Bharti, and A. A. Wachkoo. 2019. Community structure and ant species diversity across select sites ofWestern Ghats, India. Acta Ecologica Sinica 39: 219–228.