Carebara zengchengensis

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
Fisher et al. (2014) - This new species resembles Carebara trechideros, but the major worker differs from the later in mandibles smooth and shining, spaces between striation smooth, propodeal spine thick and straight, not curved forward. The minor worker differs from the later in promesonotum much higher, propodeal spine longer, not curved upward.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: China.

Worker
Minor

Nomenclature

 *  zengchengensis. Pheidologeton zengchengensis Zhou, Zhao & Jia, 2006: 871, figs. 1, 2 (s.w.) CHINA. Combination in Carebara: Fischer, Azorsa & Fisher, 2014: 72.

Worker
Holotype major. TL 12.8, HL 31.2, HW 3.43, CI 97, SL 1.28, SI 37, PW 1.71, PNL 0.88, PNH 0.88, PNW 0.78, PPL 0.59, PPH 0.80, PPW 1.03, ED 0.41.

Head slightly longer than broad, as broad in front as in the post, the sides slightly convex. Occipital margin widely emarginated, a deeply impressed narrow groove present down to the front. Mandible Major, masticatory margin without tooth in large worker, with two strong blunt apical teeth and two broad shorter basal teeth in the medium worker. Clypeus narrow, anterior border broadly sinuate. Antennal carinae short, divergent. Antennae slender. Eyes moderately large, placed at anterior 2/ 5 of the side of the head. Promesonotum convex, promesonotal suture lightly impressed. Mesoscutellum very prominent, metanotum distinct. Dorsum of propodeum slightly shorter than the declivity, and the declivity longitudinally concave in the middle. Propodeal spines thick at base, acute at tip, less than 1/3 length of the distance between the base of the two spines, directed backward and slightly outward. Petiole rather short, petiolar node thick and subtriangular in profile, upper margin slightly convex in the middle. Postpetiolar node transverse in dorsal view, as broad as petiolar node in major worker or twice as broad as the petiolar node in the medium worker.

Head longitudinally striate anteriorly. Mandibles smooth and shining. Occipital lobes of head, pronotum, dorsum of propodeum, and petiolar node transversely striate. Spaces between striation smooth. Postpetiolar node and gaster smooth and shining. Erect hairs abundant on the whole body. Color dark brownish red. Mandibles and gaster blackish red. Antennae and legs paler.

Paratypes 14 media. HL 1.30-2.80, HW 1.25-2.70, SL 0.65-1.08, CI 96, SI 40-52, PW 0.60-1.35, PNH 0.66, PNL 0.68, PNW 0.56, PPH 0.60, PPL 0.25-0.66, PPW 0.29-0.83, ED 0.31, TL 4.6-9.9. Occipital less concave, scutellum less prominent. Other characters are the same as the major worker. 7 minor workers. HL 0.50-0.60, HW 0.50-0.60, SL 0.30-0.50, SI 60-83, CI 98-100, PW 0.35-0.40, AL 0.60-0.75, ED 0.05-0.06. Occipital straight to feebly concave. Masticatory margin of mandible with five teeth. Antennal scapes short, close to occipital border. Mandible longitudinally striate. Head, pronotum and gaster smooth and shinning, mesopleurae and propodeum shagreened. Erect hair long and sparse. Color brown. Propodeum and peticel paler.

Type Material
Holotype major worker, Taibai Slope, Zengcheng, Guangdong Province, South of China, 26 Sep. 1984, Zhang Zhu-Xu leg. Paratype 14 media workers and 7 minor workers, Taihe Ancient Cave, Qingxin County, Guangdong Province, South of China, 25 Aug. 2005, Zhao Shuang leg. Deposited in the Insect Collection of Zhongshan University.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Leong C. M., S. F. Shiao, and B. Guenard. 2017. Ants in the city, a preliminary checklist of Formicidae (Hymenoptera) in Macau, one of the most heavily urbanized regions of the world. Asian Myrmecology 9: e009014.
 * Shuang Zhao. 2006. Ant of Guangdong Province (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): A taxonomic study of the ants of Guangdong (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Master's thesis in Agriculture Insects and Pest Control. Supervisor Fenglong Jia. 115 pages.
 * Zhang Xiang, and Hou You-Ming. 2009. Five new record genus and thirty one new records species of ants (Hymenoptera; Formicidae) in Fujian Province. Journal of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University 38(5): 479-484.
 * Zhou S. Y., S. Zhao, and F. L. Jia. 2006. A taxonomic study on the ant genus Pheidologeton Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae, Myrmicinae) from China. Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica 31(4): 870-873