Carebara carinata

Identification
Bharti & Kumar (2013) - Somewhat allied to Carebara sangi and can be differentiated from it by the combination of the following characters: propodeum with short triangular spine, metanotal groove deep, dorsal face of propodeum weakly sloping backwards and peduncle of petiole without anteroventral process. In C. sangi the propodeum is unarmed, the metanotal groove is shallow, the dorsal face of propodeum steep, and the peduncle of petiole has a small anteroventral process. As in C. sangi, Carebara lignata and some Carebara peruviana, C. carinata possesses a central isolated hair on the anterior clypeal margin. Probably this is a derived, convergent trait in each species, and adds support to the previous synonymy of Parvimyrma under Carebara.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India.

Nomenclature

 *  carinata. Carebara carinata Bharti & Kumar, 2013: 49, figs. 1-3 (w.) INDIA.

Worker
Measurements. Holotype worker. HL 0.45, HW 0.32, SL 0.3, ML 0.10, MSL 0.44, PW 0.21, PTL 0.14, PPTL 0.09, PTW 0.06, PPTW 0.08, PTH 0.1, PPTH 0.07, GL 0.36, TL 1.58, CI 71.11, SI 93.75.

Paratype. HL 0.44, HW 0.32, SL 0.3, ML 0.11, MSL 0.44, PW 0.21, PTL 0.15, PPTL 0.08, PTW 0.07, PPTW 0.08, PTH 0.1, PPTH 0.06, GL 0.39, TL 1.61, CI 72.73, SI 93.75 (1 measured).

Monomorphic. Head longer than broad, sides weakly convex, nearly rectangular; posterior margin of head straight; clypeus steep somewhat convex, without lateral teeth, its anterior margin with a single median long seta and a pair of 1st paracarinal setae; mandibles triangular, masticatory margin with five teeth gradually reduced in size from the apical tooth to basal tooth; frontal lobes small; eyes absent; antennae slender, 11 segmented; scape falls short from posterior margin of head by almost 1/3rd of its length and 0.67x times of head length; promesonotum suture absent, weakly convex; metanotal groove narrow and deep; dorsal face of propodeum weakly sloping backwardly and weakly concave; propodeal spines short, triangular (0.02mm longer); declivitous face of propodeum concave with thin lateral laminae; propodeal lobes narrow and rounded; petiole with longer peduncle, ventral face with very feeble or indistinct anteroventral process and almost straight; petiole and postpetiole node rounded in dorsal view and former not much higher; gaster elongate and oval.

Head shagreenate or rugoreticulate except smooth anteromedian part behind posterior clypeal margin up to almost half of scape length and genae longitudinally rugulose; posterior margin of head with a transverse carina; clypeus without carinae; clypeus and mandibles smooth and shiny; mesosoma, petiole, postpetiole, gaster and legs smooth and shiny except lower part of mesopleuron and petiolar peduncle with shagreenate sculpture. Whole body yellowish brown, covered with abundant short erect to suberect hairs; scape, middle and hind tibiae with short suberect hairs.

Type Material
Holotype worker, India: Himachal Pradesh, Ghati, 31.935957°N 75.934603°E, 450m, 27.ix.2009, soil core;; R. Kumar Leg.; PUPAC. Paratypes. 2 workers same data as of holotype (in 1 specimen gaster broken).

Etymology
The specific epithet refers to presence of carina on posterior margin of head.