Carebara vidua

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Eritrea, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe.

Biology
Robertson & Villet (1989) documented independent colony foundation in Carebara vidua.

An average of 1672 ovarioles in the queen ovaries indicates an extreme level of fecundity (Robertson 1995). Queens mate with several males.

Nomenclature

 * dux. Carebara dux Smith, F. 1858b: 179 (q.) SOUTH AFRICA. Subspecies of vidua: Forel, 1913b: 337. Junior synonym of vidua: Mayr, 1866b: 904; Santschi, 1913c: 307.
 *  vidua. Carebara vidua Smith, F. 1858b: 179 (m.) SOUTH AFRICA. Mayr, 1866b: 904 (q.); Forel, 1901g: 392 (w.). Senior synonym of colossus, dux: Mayr, 1866b: 904; Santschi, 1913c: 307; of abdominalis: Forel, 1913b: 337; Arnold, 1916: 252; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 884. See also: Arnold, 1916: 249; Robertson & Villet, 1989: 121. Current subspecies: nominal plus fur.
 * colossus. Carebara colossus Gerstäcker, 1859: 263 (q.) MOZAMBIQUE. [Also as new in Gerstäcker, 1862: 512.] Junior synonym of vidua: Mayr, 1866b: 904.
 * abdominalis. Carebara vidua var. abdominalis Santschi, 1912d: 285 (q.) KENYA. Subspecies of vidua: Santschi, 1914b: 84. Junior synonym of vidua: Forel, 1913b: 337; Arnold, 1916: 252; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 884.

Carebara dux

One queen, may be holotype or a syntype but not proved, in.