Carebara obtusidenta

The type material was collected from moist evergreen broad leaf forest.

Identification
Bharti et al. (2014) - C. obtusidenta is allied to Carebara spinata however, the two species can be easily separated. In case of C. obtusidenta  masticatory margin of mandibles is having 4-teeth, anterior margin of clypeus concave without lateral developed teeth, propodeal spines are acute and up-curved, postpetiole broader than petiole and head predominantly longer than broad whilst in case of C. spinata masticatory margin of mandibles is having 5-teeth, anterior margin of clypeus with two prominent lateral teeth, propodeal spines are acute and straight, postpetiole as broad as petiole and head slightly longer than broad.

Xu (2003) - This new species is close to Carebara wheeleri, but mandible has 5 teeth, anterior margin of median portion of clypeus concave.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India. Palaearctic Region: China.

Nomenclature

 *  obtusidenta. Oligomyrmex obtusidentus Xu, 2003: 316, figs. 20-23 (s.w.) CHINA. Combination in Carebara: Bharti, Akbar & Aldawood, 2014: 317.

Worker
Holotype soldier. TL 2.6, HL 0.73, HW 0.58, CI 79, SL 0.30, SI 52, PW 0.33, AL 0.58, PL 0.23, PH 0.16, DPW 0.15. Head longer than broad, in full face view rectangular. Occipital margin moderately concave, occipital corners rounded. Lateral sides straight and parallel. Mandible with 5 teeth. Median portion of clypeus longitudinally depressed, bicarinate and divergent forward, anterior margin concave. Antenna 9 segments with a 2-segmented club, apex of scape extending to 1 /2 of the distance from socket to occipital corner. Eye with 1 facet. In profile view, occiput with a pair of acute small horns, dorsum of head lightly convex. Promesonotum high and roundly convex. Promesonotal suture obsolete on the dorsum. Metanotum absent. Metanotal groove deeply Impressed. Propodeum with a pair of rightly angled teeth, dorsum straight and sloping down rearwards, declivity concave with thin lateral laminae. Petiole pedunculate anteriorly, ventral face weakly concave, anteroventral corner acutely dentate. Petiolar node thick, anterior and posterior faces sloping, dorsal face roundly convex. Postpetiolar node roundly convex and lightly lower than petiolar node. In dorsal view, petiolar node about as broad as postpetiolar node.

Mandibles and median portion of clypeus smooth and shiny. Anterior 2/3 of head dorsum densely and finely striate, posterior 1/3 of head dorsum and lateral sides reticulate. Transverse striations present between occipital horns, but without a developed transverse ridge. Ali trunk and petiole densely punctate, interspace appearing as microreticulations. Postpetiole and gaster smooth and shiny. Head with dense suberect hairs. Alitrunk, petiole and postpetiole with sparse suberect hairs and dense decumbent pubescences. First segment of gaster with dense decumbent hairs, the other segments with decumbent hairs posteriorly. Scapes and tibiae with dense decumbent pubescences. Head yellowish brown. Alitrunk, petiole and postpetiole yellow. Antennae, tibiae and gaster light yellow.

Paratype soldiers. TL 2.1-2.6, HL 0.65-0.73, HW 0.53-0.58, CI 76-81, SL 0.28-0.33, SI 50-57, PW 0.28-0.33, AL 0.53-0.58, PL 0.21-0.25, PH 0.15-0.16, DPW 0.13-0.15 (5 individuals measured). As holotype, but occipital horns vary in size from minute to small.

Paratype workers. TL 1.2-1.3, HL 0.38-0.40, HW 0.33-0.34, CI 87-93, SL 0.23-0.25, SI 68-71, PW 0.23-0.24, AL 0.38, PL 0.13-0.15, PH 0.10, DPW 0.08-0.09 ( 5 individuals measured). As holotype, but much smaller. Head normal, nearly square, without occipital horns, occipital margin shallowly concave in the middle, lateral sides lightly convex. Apex of scape reached to 3/4 of the distance from socket to occipital corner. Posterior 1/2 of head dorsum reticulate. Promesonotum moderately convex. Propodeum with a pair of acute teeth, dorsum convex.

Type Material
Holotype. soldier, No. A99-259, 2000 m, west slope of Gaoligongshan, Daying Village, Jietou Town, Tengchong County, Yunnan Province, collected by Mr. Fu Lei in the subalpine moist evergreen broad leaf forest on 2 May 1999. Para types: 4 soldiers and 3 workers, with same data as holotype. 1 soldier and 2 workers, with same data as holotype but No. A99-271.