Lophotermes Miller

Bourguignon, Thomas, Leponce, Maurice & Roisin, Yves, 2008, Revision of the Termitinae with snapping soldiers (Isoptera: Termitidae) from New Guinea, Zootaxa 1769, pp. 1-34 : 11

Genus Lophotermes Miller

Lophotermes Miller, 1991: 1212 .

Type-species: Lophotermes pectinatus Miller, 1991: 1212 .

Diagnosis. Soldiers of Lophotermes are usually characterized by well-developed frontal and lateral tubercles ( Figs 17–18 , 21–22 ); mandibles generally stout and longer than head capsule; antennae of 14 or sometimes 15 segments; labrum usually large; tibial spurs 3:2:2 or 2:2:2. Monomorphic workers. Worker left mandible index> 1.5, often> 2.0 ( Figs 20 , 24 ). Worker digestive tract with P3 subdivided into a small posterior section and a larger anterior one ( Fig. 62 ). For a more complete description see Miller (1991).

Figures

FIGURE 62. Worker digestive tract of Lophotermes brevicephalus. From left to right: dorsal view, right view, ventral view and left view. Mesenteron stippled. Arrows indicate the direction of transit.

FIGURES 17 – 20. Lophotermes aduncus: 17, soldier head, dorsal; 18, soldier head, lateral; 19, enteric valve; 20, worker mandibles. Scale bars: 17, 18, 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 21 – 24. Lophotermes brevicephalus: 21, soldier head, dorsal; 22, soldier head, lateral; 23, worker mandibles; 24, enteric valve. Scale bars: 21, 1 mm; 22, 0.5 mm.