Pericapritermes papuanus Bourguignon & Roisin

Bourguignon, Thomas, Leponce, Maurice & Roisin, Yves, 2008, Revision of the Termitinae with snapping soldiers (Isoptera: Termitidae) from New Guinea, Zootaxa 1769, pp. 1-34 : 24-25

Pericapritermes papuanus Bourguignon & Roisin , sp. nov.

( Figs 41–44 , 57–58 , 64 , 67 )

Holotype: PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Fly. Authors' collection reference # PNGT 1500: soldier, Wipim, 31.iii.1989, YR & ML. In the collection of the IRSN. Paratypes: PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Fly. Authors' collection reference # PNGT 1500 (same colony as holotype): alates, soldiers and workers.

Diagnosis. This species is more similar to Pericapritermes cf schultzei . It can be distinguished from it by the head of the soldier, longer and more densely hairy, and by the enteric valve of the worker, with a stronger armature.

Imago ( Figs 57–58 ). Head covered with many small setae and about 20 large setae. Large eyes. Ocelli large and close to eyes without touching them. Antennae 15-segmented. Pronotum and entire body covered with numerous setae. Measurements as in Table 16 .

Soldier ( Figs 41–42 ). Medium to large size ( Table 17). Head twice longer than wide, moderately hairy, covered by setae of medium size. Frons flat. Labrum very short, with few setae. Right mandible large, with unpointed tip. Postmentum narrow and elongated, with widest part 2.5 times larger than the narrowest part. Antennae 14-segmented. Entire body moderately hairy.

Worker ( Figs 43, 44 ). Enteric valve well developed, with cushions each covered by about 15 well sclerotized triangular spines. Measurements as in Table 18 .

Head length to anterolateral corner of the genae 3.04–3.28 Head depth with postmentum 1.34–1.44 Head max width 1.59–1.68 Head width at anterolateral corner of the genae 1.34–1.44 Right mandible length 1.79–1.92 Left mandible length 2.03–2.10 Postmentum max width 0.50–055 Postmentum min width 0.18–0.23 Pronotum width 0.83–0.90 Distribution ( Fig. 67 ). Only known from Wipim (Fly) in the southern Papuan savannas.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the species' geographic origin ( Papua New Guinea).

Figures

FIGURE 64. Worker digestive tract of Pericapritermes papuanus sp. nov. From left to right: dorsal view, right view, ventral view and left view. Mesenteron stippled. Arrows indicate the direction of transit.

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 41 – 44. Pericapritermes papuanus sp. nov. (type colony): 41, soldier head, dorsal; 42, soldier head, lateral; 43, worker mandibles; 44, enteric valve. Scale bars: 41, 42, 1 mm.

FIGURES 57 – 58. Alate. Pericapritermes papuanus sp. nov.: 57, head; 58, pronotum. Scale bars: 57, 0.5 mm; 58, 0.2 mm.

Tables

TABLE 16. Measurements (mm) of 5 male and 1 female imagoes from the type colony of Pericapritermes papuanus sp. nov.

	Male	Female
Length with wings	12.3–13.3	13.5
Length without wings	6.06–6.85	6.88
Head length to apex of the labrum	1.36–1.53	1.43
Head length to clypeo-frontal suture	0.76–0.88	0.81
Head width with eyes	1.26–1.37	1.30
Eye maximum diameter	0.31–0.41	0.35
Ocellus maximum length	0.16–0.22	0.19
Pronotum length	0.55–0.63	0.54
Pronotum width	0.99–1.15	1.04
Forewing length	11.0–12.1	11.8
Forewing width	2.80–3.02	3.00