Carebara bihornata

The type material was collected from valley alsium shrub tussock.

Identification
Xu (2003) - This new species is close to Carebara capreola, but antenna with only 9 segments, eyes present, in profile view, dorsum of head straight.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: China.

Nomenclature

 *  bihornata. Oligomyrmex bihornatus Xu, 2003: 317, figs. 24-27 (s.w.) CHINA. Combination in Carebara: new combination (unpublished).

Worker
Holotype soldier. TL 2.4, HL 0.70, HW 0.50, CI 71, SL 0.28, SI 55, PW 0.35, AL 0.63, PL 0.23, PH 0.18, DPW 0.16. Head longer than broad, in full face view roughly rectangular. Occipital margin deeply and roundly concave, occipital corners protruding into a pair of developed acute horns, a transverse ridge present on the occiput and connecting the 2 horns. Lateral sides moderately convex. Mandible with 5 teeth. Median portion of clypeus longitudinally depressed, bicarinate and divergent forward, anterior margin straight. Antenna 9 segments with a 2-segmented club, apex of scape reaching to 5/11 of the distance from socket to occipital corner. Eye with 4 facets. In profile view, occiput with a pair of well developed large acute horns. Dorsum of head straight. Promesonotum high and roundly convex. Promesonotal suture present. Mesonotum suddenly down curved at posterior end. Metanotum present but narrow, dorsally pointed. Mesometanotal suture and metapropodeal suture depressed. Propodeum with posterodorsal corner bluntly angled, dorsal face straight and down sloping backward, longitudinally depressed in the middle. Declivity straight and vertically depressed in the middle. Petiole pedunculate anteriorly, ventral face straight. Petiolar node thick, anterior and posterior faces sloping, dorsal face roundly prominent. Postpetiolar node roundly convex and lower than petiolar node. In dorsal view, petiolar node about as broad as postpetiolar node.

Mandibles and median portion of clypeus smooth and shiny. Head smooth and shiny, weakly and very sparsely punctate. Alitrunk, petiole, postpetiole and gaster smooth and shiny. Head, alitrunk, petiole and postpetiole with abundant erect or suberect hairs. Gaster with dense decumbent hairs. Scapes and tibiae with dense decumbent pubescences. Body color yellow. Masticatory margins of mandibles and eyes black.

Paratype soldiers. TL 2.1-3.1, HL 0. 70-0.75, HW0.50-0.53, Cl 69-71, SL0.28-0.30, SI 55-57, PW 0. 33-0. 35, AL 0. 60-0. 63, PL 0. 23-0. 25, PH 0.18-0.20, DPW 0.15-0.18 (5 individuals measured). As holotype.

Paratype workers. TL 1.1-1.2, HL 0.33-0.35, HW 0.26-0.28, CI 79-81, SL 0.20, SI 73-76, PW 0.18-0.20, AL 0.33-0.35, PL 0.09-0.10, PH 0.08-0.09, DPW 0.08 (4 individuals measured). As holotype, but much smaller. Head normal and rectangular. Occiput without horns, occipital margin slightly concave, occipital corners prominent. Lateral sides slightly convex. Apex of scape reaching 2/3 of the distance from socket to occipital corner. Eyes absent. Promesonotum weakly convex. Promesonotal suture obsolete on the dorsum. Metanotum absent. Head sparsely and finely punctured. Body color light yellow.

Type Material
Holotype, soldier, No. A98-1537, 1000 m, east slope of Gaoligongshan, Mangkuan Village, Mangkuan Town, Baoshan City, Yunnan Province, collected in the valley alsium shrub tussock by Mr. Zhao Yuan-Chao on 7 Aug. 1998. Paratypes 4 soldiers and 4 workers, with same data as holotype. 10 soldiers, No. A98-1942, 1000 m, east slope of Gaoligongshan, Bawan Village, Bawan Town, Baoshan City, Yunnan Province, collected in the valley alsium shrub tussock by Mr. Li Ji-Guai on 10 Aug. 1998.