Isognathotermes kemneri (Emerson, 1928)

Figs 36–37

Revised herein as junior synonym of I. bulbifrons .

Mirotermes (Cubitermes) kemneri Emerson, 1928: 509, fig. 54.

Cubitermes kemneri – Snyder 1949: 161.

Cubitermes zenkeri – Ruelle 1975: 8; 1992: 501. — Krishna et al. 2013: 1945. — Josens & Deligne 2019: 42–44, 60 (incorrect synonym of C. zenkeri).

Isognathotermes kemneri – Hellemans et al. 2021: 233.

Junior synonym of Isognathotermes bulbifrons (Sjöstedt, 1924) . Syn. nov.

Etymology

In the original description, Emerson (1928: 509) stated: “I take pleasure in naming this species in honor of Dr. N. Kemner, who has done such valuable work on oriental termites and termitophiles.”

Historical review

Emerson (1928: 509) described this species under the name Mirotermes (Cubitermes) kemneri . He provided description and measurements of the soldier, noting that it is very close to Cubitermes heghi .

Snyder (1949: 161) catalogued this species under the name C. kemneri and housed it in the sub-family Termitinae .

Ruelle (1975: 8), on the advice of Emerson (in litteris), proposed C. kemneri as a junior synonym of C. zenkeri . This is one of the species that Ruelle (1992: 501) called “forgotten species”.

Krishna et al. (2013: 1945) housed C. kemneri in the sub-family Cubitermitinae . Espousing the view of Ruelle 1975 they considered this species as a junior synonym of C. zenkeri .

However, C. kemneri cannot be synonymized with C. zenkeri because the types of both species have different EVAs, i.e., of the finitimus and fungifaber groups respectively (Josens & Deligne 2019: 42–44).

Hellemans et al. (2021: 233) placed this species in the restored genus Isognathotermes .

One type subsample has been examined (see Isognathotermes bulbifrons, DJ 0297). Krishna et al. (2013: 1945) mention that other subsamples are deposited in UMMZ: holotype (soldier), and a paratype subsample in PPRI (not examined).

Only two samples in the museum collections bore the name “ C. kemneri ”: the type sample and a misidentified sample (presently assigned to I. fungifaber). Our morphology study (this article) shows that the type matches well I. bulbifrons . Therefore, I. kemneri (Emerson, 1928) is from now on considered a junior synonym of Isognathotermes bulbifrons (Sjöstedt, 1924) .