Carebara panhai Jaitrong, Pitaktunsakul & Jantarit 2021
Creators: name: Wimolsuthikul, Chaipat
name: Yamane, Seiki
name: Samung, Yudthana
name: Jaitrong, Weeyawat
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Formicidae
Carebara
Carebara panhai

description: 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).
description: Published as part of Wimolsuthikul, Chaipat, Yamane, Seiki, Samung, Yudthana & Jaitrong, Weeyawat, 2024, A revision of the Carebara pygmaea (Emery, 1887) species group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Thailand, pp. 79-100 in Zootaxa 5481 (1) on pages 89-90, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5481.1.5, http://zenodo.org/record/12742641