Key to Carebara concinna species complex workers

This worker key is based on: Fernández, F. 2004a. The American species of the myrmicine ant genus Carebara Westwood (Hymentoptera: Formicidae). Caldasia. 26(1):191-238.

As in other myrmicine ants, tiny size is associated with morphological monotony; consequently, accurate separation of Carebara minor workers is challenging and requires careful scrutiny of fine characters at more than 80 magnifications. Future discovery of nests and complete samples of all phases may result in changes in the number of recognized species, which may well be lower than that proposed here. Unfortunately many Carebara minor workers collected alone cannot be identified with certainty.

The worker of Carebara peruviana is unknown.

1

Head and promesonotum smooth and shining, devoid of any conspicuous sculpturation; soldier unknown; USA . . . . . Carebara longii

Head and promesonotum with sculpture feebly or strongly marked, always present; soldier with heavy longitudinal regulation over head; Neotropics . . . . . 2

2

return to couplet #1

Pronotal dorsum mainly reticulate, without longitudinal rugulae or very few; hind tibia with short appresed pubescence . . . . . Carebara brevipilosa

Pronotal dorsum mainly longitudinally rugose, sometimes smooth and shining with a few longitudinal rugulae; hind tibia with longer suberect to erect pilosity (longer hairs about 80% or more the length of maximum tibial diameter) . . . . . Carebara urichi