Carebara nayana

One of a small number of Carebara species with phragmotic majors.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India.

Nomenclature

 * . Neoblepharidatta nayana Sheela & Narendran, 1997: 89, figs. 1-4 (q.) INDIA (Kerala).
 * Type-material: holotype phragmotic major worker.
 * [Note: Sheela & Narendran, 1997: 89, state that the holotype is a dealate queen. The specimen described is actually a phragmotic major worker (Bolton, 2003: 273).]
 * Type-locality: India: Kerala, Iritty Forest, nr Aaralam Farm, 16.xii.1995 (S. Sheela).
 * Type-depository: DZCU.
 * Combination in Oligomyrmex: Bolton, 2003: 273;
 * combination in Carebara: Fernández, 2004a: 196 (by implication).
 * Status as species: Bharti & Kumar, 2013b: 61 (in key); Bharti, Guénard, et al. 2016: 34; Akbar & Bharti, 2017: 36 (in key).
 * Distribution: India.

Queen
Holotype:  TL2.9 mm;  HL 0.80 mm; HW 0.65 mm; CI 81; SL 0.2 mm; SI 31; ED 0.02 mm; PW 0.40 mm; AL 0.74 mm.

Colour: Ferrugineous red, antennae and legs of light colour.

Sculpture and hair pattern: Whole body covered with dense, short and long hairs; long hairs erect and suberect, short hairs decumbent, most hairs curved at tip; anterior clypeal margin with 6 short median setae. Dorsal concave area of head and mandibles smooth, surrounding areas of head appear smooth in certain reflections, while faintly punctate with setigerous pits; region in between eyes and base of mandibles longitudinally striate; neck of pronotum shagreened; pronotum anteriorly with transversely arched striae, median portion smooth, posteriorly with faint longitudinal striae, sides of thorax finely punctate; propodeum finely punctate; upper region of propleura and a small area on mcsopleura smooth, metasternite above coxae striate and punctate; mesonotum rugoso punctate; post petiole dorsally smooth; gaster smooth.

Head: Distinctly longer than broad; posterior margin medially deeply emarginate; sides finely margined; frontal lobes extended forwards; lobes reaching vertex and join with posterior 'U' shaped margin of vertex; antennae arising from beneath anterior lamina of these lobes; in full face view cheeks hidden under frontal lamina; mandibles broad, massive, triangular, masticatory margin with 5 black teeth; clypeus very small, its posterior and lateral margins indistinct, anterior margin transverse with four short setae at its middle, clypeus a little depressed downwards; no distinct scrobe. Antennae very short, 11 jointed, club formed of apical two joints; terminal club segment longest, its length 0.6 x length of remaining segments of flagellum; F2-F7 transverse; FS subequal, F1 and club elongate; flagellum length 2.1 x scape; eyes very small consisting only two ommatidia; in profile, postero-dorsal edge ofhead finely angulate; ventromedian portion of head swollen and medially carinate, carinae starting from edge of' vertex end on either side of this median carina.

Thorax: Somewhat gibbous; pronotum with a short neck in front; antero-lateral corners rounded; mesotnetanotal suture distinct, propodeum posteriorly with two short teeth which project backwards and shorter than their basal width; propodeum medially concave; metathoracic spiracles almost at middle of stemites; metastemal teeth bluntly angulate, legs· short, stout; mid and bind ubiae without spurs; hind metatarsus 0.7 x length of femur.

Abdomen: Petiole with a short, stout peduncle in .front; node about 1.3 x length of peduncle; petiole distinctly transverse; sides straight, its length; breadth in dorsal view 3:7; postpetiole broader than petiole, transverse, flat above, postero-median part slightly depressed; length: breadth in dorsal view 5:10. Gaster broad; flat above, ventrally convex, T1 covering more than half its length.

Type Material
Holotype: Dealate female: India, Kerala, lritty Forest near Aaralamfann; Sheela. S; 16.xii.1995 (DZCU).

Etymology
Genus named after the genus Blepharidana and species name "napro" is taken from sanskrit word meaning eyes.

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.
 * Parui A. K., S. Chatterjee, and P. Basu. 2015. Habitat characteristics shaping ant species assemblages in a mixed deciduous forest in Eastern India. Journal of Tropical Ecology: 1-14. doi:10.1017/S0266467415000036
 * Sheela S., and T. C. Narendran. 1997. A new genus and a new species of Myrmicinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from India. Journal of Ecobiology 9: 87-91.