Carebara panhai Jaitrong, Pitaktunsakul & Jantarit, 2021

Wimolsuthikul, Chaipat, Yamane, Seiki, Samung, Yudthana & Jaitrong, Weeyawat, 2024, A revision of the Carebara pygmaea (Emery, 1887) species group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Thailand, Zootaxa 5481 (1), pp. 79-100 : 89-90

Carebara panhai Jaitrong, Pitaktunsakul & Jantarit, 2021

( Figs. 6–7 )

Carebara panhai Jaitrong, Pitaktunsakul & Jantarit, 2021: 9 , Figs. 1–2 .

Type materials: Holotype major worker ( THNHM-I-14191 , THNHM, examined), 4 paratype major workers ( THNHM-I-14192 , THNHM-I19032 to THNHM-I-19034 ; SKYC, THNHM, examined), and 60 paratype minor workers ( THNHM-I-14193 , THNHM-I-19035 to THNHM-I-19093 ; SKYC, THNHM, examined), western Thailand, Kanchanaburi Province, Thong Pha Phum District, Sahakhon Nikhom Community Forest , 14.76255556ºN, 98.80966667ºE, 679 m s.a.l., 3 m from a cave entrance, 27.XI.2019, W. Jaitrong leg., TH19-WJT-156.

Non-type material examined. Western Thailand: Kanchanaburi Province, Sai Yok District, Lum Sum Subdistrict , Cha Loei Cave , 31.V.2024, T. Jeenthong leg. , TJ310524-01 ( THNHM).

Measurements (in mm). Major worker (paratypes, n = 4): TL 3.6–3.8, HL 1.09–1.1, HW 0.89–0.96, SL 0.53– 0.56, ML 0.79–0.86, MW 0.46–0.5, DPW 0.2–0.23, PL 0.33–0.36, PH 0.3–0.33, CI 82–83, SI 59–61, PI1 110–122, PI2 55–60. Minor worker (paratypes, n = 10): TL 2.15–2.18, HL 0.53–0.56, HW 0.46, SL 0.46, ML 0.53–0.56, MW 0.25–0.26, DPW 0.1, PL 0.26–0.3, PH 0.17, CI 82–88, SI 100, PI1 150–180, PI2 33–38.

Diagnosis. Major ( Fig. 6 ): head and gastral tergite I with dense erect hairs mixed with decumbent hairs; promesonotum with sparse short erect hairs; with head in full-face view, posterior one-third with transverse striation, while anterior two-thirds with longitudinal striation; eye small, with ca. 12–13 ommatidia; gastral tergite I somewhat smooth and shiny. Minor ( Fig. 7 ): propodeal dorsum smooth and shiny; petiole and postpetiole with 2–4 erect hairs; propodeal junction roundly convex; body yellowish. Full descriptions of major and minor workers see Jaitrong et al. (2021).

Habitat. The type series was collected from a cave at the twilight zone, about 3 m from the entrance in limestone dry evergreen forest ( Jaitrong et al. 2021).

Distribution. Thailand (Kanchanaburi Province, Fig. 13 ).

Remarks. Carebara panhai is most closely related to C. bokorensis and C. parva , but can be separated from C. bokorensis by the following characteristics in the major worker: 1) posterior one-third of head with transverse striation (punctate, without striation in C. bokorensis ); 2) gastral tergite I smooth and shiny (with dense foveae in C. bokorensis , see Fig. 3C and Fig. 6C for comparison); 3) head and promesonotum with sparse erect and decumbent hairs (dense hairs in C. bokorensis , see Fig. 3 and Fig. 6 for comparison). For the difference between C. panhai and C. parva , see “Remarks” under C. parva . Minor workers of C. panhai can be separated from other members of the species group by 1) dorsa of petiole and postpetiole each with 2–4 erect hairs (without erect hairs in other species); 2) propodeal junction roundly convex (blunt angle in C. parva and C. adisaki ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Carebara adisaki Wimolsuthikul & Jaitrong, sp. nov., holotype major worker (THNHM-I-27491). A, Body in profile view; B, head in full-face view; C, body in dorsal view.

FIGURE 2. Carebara adisaki Wimolsuthikul & Jaitrong, sp. nov., paratype minor worker (THNHM-I-27500). A, Body in profile view; B, head in full-face view; C, body in dorsal view.

FIGURE 3. Carebara bokorensis, non-type major worker (THNHM-I-00028081).A, Body in profile view; B, head in full-face view; C, body in dorsal view.

FIGURE 6. Carebara panhai, holotype major worker (THNHM-I-14191). A, Body in profile view; B, head in full-face view; 3C, body in dorsal view.

FIGURE 7. Carebara panhai, paratype minor worker (THNHM-I-14193). A, Body in profile view; B, head in full-face view; C, body in dorsal view.

FIGURE 13. Distribution of Carebara pygmea species group in Thailand.