Carebara polita

Reference for Kenya if not type: Kakamega Forest

Aneleus politus Santschi, 1914b PDF: 79, fig. 8 (w.) KENYA. Afrotropic. AntCat AntWiki HOL

Taxonomic history

[Unresolved junior secondary homonym of Carebara polita (Smith, 1860).].Consani, 1951 PDF: 170 (q.); Fischer et al., 2014 PDF: 90 (s.w.).Combination in Aneleus (Aneleus): Emery, 1924f PDF: 214.Combination in Oligomyrmex: Ettershank, 1966 PDF: 124.Combination in Carebara: Fernández, 2004a PDF: 235.Status as species: Wheeler, 1922: 881; Emery, 1924f PDF: 214; Menozzi, 1933a: 104; Weber, 1943d PDF: 315; Consani, 1951 PDF: 169; Ettershank, 1966 PDF: 124; Bolton, 1995b: 300; Hita Garcia et al., 2013 PDF: 209; Fischer et al., 2014 PDF: 90 (redescription).

Measurements (n=6): HW 1.20–1.74 (1.62), HL 1.17–1.77 (1.59), SL 0.65–0.74 (0.70), MDL 0.68–0.86 (0.80), EL 0.09–0.15 (0.13), WL 1.58–1.80 (1.71), PNH 0.83–1.05 (0.97), PNW 0.93–1.17 (1.07), MNH 1.13–1.35 (1.28), PDH 0.72–0.77 (0.75), PTL 0.65–0.72 (0.68), PPL 0.42–0.48 (0.45), PTH 0.54–0.57 (0.55), PPH 0.47–0.51 (0.48), PTW 0.47–0.58 (0.55), PPW 0.63–0.69 (0.67), PSL 0.29–0.33 (0.31), MFL 1.07–1.16 (1.12), MTL 0.84–0.95 (0.89), CI 97–108 (102), SI 40–54 (44), MDI 45–56 (50), EI 5–9 (8), FI 62–94 (71), PSLI 17–28 (19), LPpI 88–100 (94), DPpI 140–153 (148), PpWI 109–135 (122), PpLI 63–70 (60), PpHI 84–89 (87). Head about as long as wide (CI 97–108), in full-face view weakly subquadrate, with posteriorly slightly diverging, convex sides, posterior margin usually triangularly emarginate and with small protuberances or horns at posterolateral lobes. Mandibles with five well-developed teeth. Clypeus slightly concave at anteromedian margin, laterally with two carinae. Antennae eleven-segmented, scapes short, reaching slightly beyond midlength of head (SI 40–54). Eyes present, with between ten and sixteen ommatidia (EI 5–9). In profile, promesonotum roundly convex, much higher than propodeum. Scutum well-developed, scutellum either fused with scutum or vestigial in most specimens, but well-developed in a few major workers. Promesonotal suture present on dorsum, metanotum developed and usually well-separated. Anepisternum and katepisternum large and well separated by a wide groove with some cross-ribs. Dorsal face of propodeum straight and declining posteriorly, propodeal spines comparatively short and stout with rounded tips, declivity of propodeum slightly concave, with lamella reaching from basal edge of spines towards propodeal lobes. Propodeal spiracle close to center of propodeum. Petiole with moderately short peduncle, in profile ventrally weakly concave with rounded posterior corner, subpetiolar process short and subtriangular to reduced, petiole node in profile high and subrectangular, anteriorly concave, posterior margin vertical and nearly straight, dorsal face nearly straight or weakly convex. Postpetiole in profile lower than petiole (PpHI 84–89), subglobular, almost as long as high (LpPI 88–100), dorsally roundly convex, ventral face much shorter than dorsal face. In dorsal view, petiole wider than long, strongly flattened anteroposteriorly, anterior and posterior faces straight to almost straight, postpetiole weakly hexagonally shaped, on average 1.2 times as wide as petiole (PpWI 109–135), and sides weakly subangulate anteriorly and towards posterior face. Mandible and head with scattered punctures, except medially on frons. Mandibles smooth and shiny, and laterally weakly striate, clypeus smooth and shiny, with lateral carinae, frons finely longitudinally rugulose, rugulae diverging posteriorly towards posterolateral lobes, at sides of head weaker and more irregular, interspaces weakly to faintly punctate-rugose. Frontal carinae weakly developed, length varying from reaching towards anterior eye level to about midlength of head. Dorsum of pronotum and scutum variably circularly striate, sometimes only on margins, with center being smooth and shiny, lateral portions of pronotum, anepisternum and katepisternum mostly smooth and shiny to faintly striate. Propodeum longitudinally striate lateroventrally, dorsally and dorsolaterally coarsely sculptured with irregular rugulae, posterior propodeal declivity shagreened or micropunctate. Petiole and postpetiole densely punctate lateroventrally, grading to smooth and shiny on dorsal faces. Gaster smooth and shiny, anteriorly, at articulation with postpetiole, weakly punctate. In profile, head and body with several short, suberect hairs and scattered short, appressed pilosity. Head in full-face view with two or three relatively coarse suberect hairs present on posterolateral lobes. Scapes and tibiae with abundant appressed and yellow pilosity. Color reddish brown, legs and antennae yellowish or light brown.

Carebara polita is a widespread species found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, mainly in rainforest, montane wet forest, and evergreen forest. Carebara polita has been collected at elevations ranging from 110–2045 m. Individuals and nest series were collected in leaf-litter and from soil, using Winkler and pitfall traps.