Pericapritermes cf. schultzei (Holmgren)

Bourguignon, Thomas, Leponce, Maurice & Roisin, Yves, 2008, Revision of the Termitinae with snapping soldiers (Isoptera: Termitidae) from New Guinea, Zootaxa 1769, pp. 1-34 : 18

Pericapritermes cf. schultzei (Holmgren)

( Figs 29–32 , 67 )

Capritermes Schultzei Holmgren, 1911: 462 .

Pericapritermes schultzei (Holmgren) . Krishna, 1968: 294.

Type material. We did not have the possibility to examine the type specimens of this species. They were presumably deposited in the Museum für Naturkunde, Humboldt Universität, Berlin, but could not be found there. Holmgren (1911) cites "Sepik (1570m über dem Meere, Nov. 1910, Schultze)" as collection data. In his report of the German –Dutch border expedition of 1910, Schultze actually mentions finding a new Capritermes on the top of the Peripatus mountain ( Schultze Jena 1914: 74). As date and altitude correspond, the Peripatus summit (4°48'S, 141°10'E) should be considered as type locality for P. s c h u l t z e i ( Fig. 67 ).

Many samples from New Guinean hills or mountains are compatible with Holmgren's (1911) description, although variation in size and shape is substantial between, or sometimes within, colonies. Therefore, it is so far not possible to determine the limits of this species accurately. Provisionally, these series will be collectively labelled P. cf. schultzei .

Material examined. PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Authors' collection. Morobe. # PNGT 196: Kaiapit, 20.ii.1983, JMP and YR. # PNGT 1082: Bulolo, 22.v.1987, YR. # PNGT 1231: Bulolo, Mt Susu Nature Reserve (alt. 1000m), 17.v.1988, YR. ANIC. Southern Highlands. #10–8583: Mendi, vii.1956, DAJ. #10–8621: Tari, xii.1955, DAJ. #10–8622: Mendi, xii.1955, DAJ. – Eastern Highlands. #10–11018: Asirangka (alt. 1650m), 1.ii.1963, JHB & Kenampi Rapoke; #10–11019: Namura, 3.i.1963, JHB, A.E. & E. Emerson. – Morobe. #10– 14822: Bulolo, 4.xii.1973, FRW & P. Shanahan. AMNH. Madang. Wanuma (alt. 660m), 2.viii.1969, R. Zweifel.

Diagnosis. Samples included in this group can be distinguished from congeners by their medium size and slightly hairy soldier head capsule ( Figs 29–30 ), and by the worker enteric valve bearing very many small, spotlike spines ( Fig. 32 ).

Imago. Unknown

Soldier ( Figs. 29–30 ). Head capsule elongated, widest at the middle, rounded at corner, covered by 20 to 30 medium size setae. Frons flat, without hump. Fontanelle small, dotlike. Labrum short, with 4 setae at the apex. Postmentum narrow and elongated, with widest part 2.5 times wider than the narrowest part. Tip of right mandible pointed. Antennae 14-segmented. Thorax and abdomen fairly hairy. Measurements as in Table 12 .

Worker ( Figs 31, 32 ). Enteric valve well developed but not heavily armed, covered by many small spotlike spines. Measurements as in Table 18 .

Distribution ( Fig. 67 ). Samples included in this group were found mostly in hill forest in northern New Guinea and in the Highlands.

Figures

FIGURE 67. Known distribution of, Pericapritermes cf. schultzei;, Pericapritermes parvus sp. nov.;, Pericapritermes pilosus sp. nov.;, Pericapritermes papuanus sp. nov. Arrows indicate type localities. ˖, type locality of P. schultzei.

FIGURES 29 – 32. Pericapritermes cf. schultzei (sample from colony # PNGT 1231, Bulolo): 29, soldier head, dorsal; 30, soldier head, lateral; 31 worker mandibles; 32, enteric valve. Scale bars: 29, 30, 1 mm.