Carebara quratulain

The type locality of this species is a low-land evergreen forest area, located between the branches of Periyar River. The region is considered as the richest bird habitat in peninsular India. The annual rainfall recorded here is round 3000mm which supports extensive plantations of teak, rosewood, mahagony and other wide variety of flowers and trees. The specimens were collected from a leaf litter sample taken from the forest floor near a teak tree. This subterranean species seems to be of rare occurrence as it was encountered only once during the extensive surveys in the region.

Identification
Akbar & Bharti (2017) - C. quratulain is close to Carebara rectidorsa, however the two species can be easily separated. In case of C. quratulain posterior margin of head is strongly concave, cephalic dorsum with single medium ocellus, eyes with single ommatidium, anterior clypeal margin prominently concave, propodeum with posterodorsal corners bluntly angled and postpetiole broader than petiole in dorsal view, whilst in C. rectidorsa posterior margin of head is shallowly concave, cephalic dorsum without single medium ocellus, eyes with 2-ommatidia, anterior clypeal margin slightly concave, propodeum with posterodorsal corners gently rounded not bluntly angled and postpetiole as broad as petiole in dorsal view.

Distribution based on type material
India.

Nomenclature

 *  quratulain. Carebara quratulain Akbar & Bharti, 2017: 41, figs. 17-19 (s.w.) INDIA.

Worker
HL 0.68-(0.70), HW 0.49-(0.52), SL 0.25-(0.27), ED 0.01-(0.02), ML (0.15)-0.16, MSL 0.48-(0.49), PW (0.27)-0.31, PTL (0.14)- 0.15, PPTL (0.13)-0.14, PTW 0.09-(0.11), PPTW 0.12-(0.14), PTH (0.13)-0.15, PPTH (0.11), HHL (0.05), CI 72-(74), EI 2-(4) (n=4). Major. Head longer than broad, rectangular in full face view. Occipital margin concave in the middle with occipital corners roundly prominent, lateral sides straight. Mandible with 4-teeth. Median portion of clypeus longitudinally depressed, bicarinate and divergent forward, anterior margin weakly concave. Single medium ocellus present posteriorly. Antennae 9-segmented with a 2-segmented club, scapes short and clavate; reaching up to 1/3rd of posterior margin of head. Eyes with single ommatidium. In profile view, occiput with a pair of small well developed acute horns. Dorsum of head convex. Promesonotum high and roundly convex. Promesonotal suture obsolete on the dorsum. Metanotum reduced.

Metanotal groove deeply impressed. Propodeum with posterodorsal corners bluntly angled, dorsum straight to slightly convex and sloping down rearwards, declivity concave with thin lateral laminae. Petiole pedunculate anteriorly, ventral face straight almost parallel; anteroventral corner weakly and bluntly angled. Petiole node thick with anterior and posterior faces sloping, dorsal face roundly prominent. Postpetiole node roundly convex and lower than petiolar node. In dorsal view postpetiolar node broader than the petiolar node.

Mandibles and clypeus smooth and shiny. Head finely and longitudinally striate throughout, occiput with transverse striations. Mesosoma smooth and shining; lateral sides of propodeum punctuate. Petiole and postpetiole finely punctured. Gaster smooth and shining.

Head and body with abundant erect to suberect hairs. Scapes and tibiae with dense decumbent pubescence.

Body colour brown. Head brownish yellow, gaster darker.

Type Material
Holotype (major worker): India: Kerala: Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, 10o45`N, 76o44`E, 118m a.m.s.l., 10.10.2011, hand picking method, leg. H. Bharti and S. A. Akbar. Paratypes (3 major workers): same data as that of holotype. Holotype and paratype are in.

Etymology
The species epithet is Arabic for pleasure to eyes, in reference to beautiful appearance of this new species.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * 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.