Carebara tenua

These soldiers were apparently collected in or near a termite nest. (Fernández 2004)

Identification
Fernández (2004) - A member of the Carebara lignata species complex. Similar to Carebara coeca but C. tenua is larger. The Carebara urichi soldier is bigger, robust, with strong sculpturing and angular propodeum. The Carebara panamensis soldier/ergatoid specimen has eyes (although unequal in size), marked sculpturing on the head, and tenuous sculpturing on pronotum and promesonotum. Carebara bruchi, from Argentina, is also closely-related. I have not seen the types for this species, described from a female (Santschi 1933), and for which Kusnezov (1951) proposed a (very brief) description of a dinergatogyne. The latter author also illustrated the worker thorax, the form and size of which imply that it is not possible to distinguish it from a C. panamensis worker.

The C. tenua worker is unknown, although it is probably very similar to that of C. panamensis.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Brazil.

Castes
Known only from the soldier caste.

Nomenclature

 *  tenua. Carebara tenua Fernández, 2004a: 223, figs. 7A-B, 14 (s.) BRAZIL.

Worker
Major Type: HW 0.66; HL 0.93; SL 0.35; PW 0.39; WL 0.76; GL 1.13; TL 3.39; CI 71; SI 53.

Head rectangular, posterior border deeply, semicircularly excised, sides straight, parallel. Mandible stout, masticatory border straight, forming an angle about 90° with basal border. Masticatory border with 5 stout teeth. Clypeus narrow, medial portion slightly concave. Frontal triangle well-defined. Frontal lobes somewhat continued posteriorly as short longitudinal rugulae. Scapes very short. Anterior ocellus present, otherwise eyeless. In side view mesosoma flat, metanotum slightly higher, propodeum lower. Pronotal suture feebly impressed dorsally. Metanotum narrow, much shorter than pronotum in dorsal view. Dorsal face of propodeum evenly curved on sloping face, without spines or angulations. Propodeal spiracle rounded, close to metapleural gland bullae. Petiole with short peduncle, lateral swellings and strong subpetiolar process. Postpetiole in posterior view campanuliform, ventrally with anterior carinae. Body subopaque, smooth. Head with a very tenuous longitudinal rugulation. Anterior half of pronotum reticulated, otherwise pronotum and mesonotum smooth, with dark piligerous points. Metapleura with a poorly-defined longitudinal striation, petiole and postpetiole with fine reticulation. Pubescence very sparse on head, otherwise absent. Long hairs (about 0.13 mm) densely over head, several on promesonotum, petiole, postpetiole and gaster. Body brown to light brown, head slightly darker.

Type Material
Holotype. BRAZIL. Mato Grosso: 1 soldier, Belo Horizonte, 29 jul 1975, R.L. Araújo No. 6217, deposited in. Paratypes. 2 soldiers, same data as type, and MZSP.