Cubitermes (Josens & Deligne, 2019)

Josens, Guy & Deligne, Jean, 2019, Species groups in the genus Cubitermes (Isoptera: Termitidae) defined on the basis of enteric valve morphology, European Journal of Taxonomy 515, pp. 1-72 : 39-40

4. The fungifaber valve pattern group

In the worker’s enteric valve, the primary cushions are of two types: the even PCs are similar to the PCs of the basic enteric valves but the odd PCs, in their downstream part, are crested and protrude within the lumen of the valve (as in Fig. 4A ). The primary cushions are either fusiform (their largest width is located near the middle and their lateral margins converge gradually towards both ends) or triangular (their largest width is located near their upstream end and their lateral margins converge gradually downstream). The odd PCs bear crests that are as high as or higher than they are wide, with longer and stronger bristles ( Fig. 11E ). On a microscope slide, it is quite frequent that at least one of these PCs is twisted, showing the crest in profile ( Fig. 11 E’). The enteric valve thus shows triradial symmetry. In some samples, however, the crests are weakly developed; their valves are then sometimes difficult to distinguish from the basic enteric valves of the bilobatodes or the muneris patterns.

An odd PC is made of (a) an upstream spiny part (18–42% of total length) with relatively strong spines, (b) a middle spiny part (34–55% of total length) with somewhat weaker spines and with 13–30 lateral supporting bristles on each side, and (c) a bristly part (21–36% of total length) with 35–85 long, straight or curved bristles on a crest generally higher than wide; behind the crest, the bristly part bears some curved or hooked bristles ( Fig. 15A ).

The secondary cushions are wide at the upstream end, narrowing noticeably downstream with a homogeneous spine scattering ( Fig. 15A ).

In the soldier’s enteric valve ( Fig. 15B ), the crests (on the odd PCs) are generally absent or weakly developed, and often their valves can hardly be distinguished from the basic enteric valves of the bilobatodes or muneris patterns. The secondary cushions are like those of workers but bear less developed spines.

The imago’s enteric valve is much smaller than those of the soldiers and workers; the primary cushions are simple, without any crest, the secondary cushions are wide and homogeneous ( Fig. 15C ).

This basic valve pattern is therefore characterised by high and narrow hairy crests on the downstream end of the odd PCs; most species are large.

Material examined

Eleven species have such enteric valves:

Figures

Fig. 4. A. Enteric valve (of C. oblectatus Harris, 1958), seen in profile with simplified pilosity. In this species, the primary cushions PC3 and PC5 bear not only spatulae (sp) but also crests (cr) near the downstream end. B. Section through an enteric valve, seen from upstream. Sands’ numbering of the cushions is inside; present numbering of the primary (PC1 to PC6) and secondary (SC12 to SC61) cushions outside. C. Measurements on PC1: WVP1UL = length of the upstream spiny part (it starts at the first spine and ends at the first lateral supporting bristle); WVP1ML = length of the middle spiny part (it starts at the first lateral supporting bristle and ends at the last lateral supporting bristle); WVP1DL = length of the downstream bristly part (it starts at the last lateral supporting bristle); WVP1W = maximal width. D. Measurements on PC4 (one of the PCs with spatula in the sankurensis valve pattern): WVP4SL = length of the downstream spatula part (this is also the part that sticks out of the valve when in function). Other symbols as in figure C. E. Measurements on SC12 in the case of a wide and homogeneous cushion (in the muneris valve pattern). F. Measurements on SC12 in the case of a heterogeneous spearheadshaped cushion (in the bilobatodes valve pattern). G. Measurements on SC12 in the case of a narrow cushion that becomes wider and fuzzy in its downstream part (in the oculatus valve pattern); in E, F and G, WVS12L = length of the secondary cushion (between the most extreme spines or bristles), WVS12W = width of the secondary cushion (between the most extreme spines or bristles in its upstream third).

Fig. 11. Representative primary cushions of the various patterns encountered in the workers of the genus Cubitermes; WVPD = downstream bristly part; WVPM = middle spiny part; WVPS = spatula; WVPU = upstream spiny part. A. PC1 of the bilobatus valve pattern. B. PC1 of the oculatus valve pattern. C. any odd PC of the bilobatodes valve pattern. D. PC1 of the muneris valve pattern. E. PC6 and PC1 of the fungifaber valve pattern. E’. PC3 of the fungifaber valve pattern, twisted and partly seen in profile. F. PC1 of the finitimus valve pattern. F’. PC3 of the finitimus valve pattern, twisted and seen in profile. G. PC3 of the sankurensis valve pattern. H and H’. PC3 and PC4 of the oblectatus valve pattern. I. Any PC of the sulcifrons valve pattern. I’. Any PC of the sulcifrons valve pattern, twisted and seen in profile. All drawings to the same scale.

Fig. 15. A. Enteric valve of the “fungifaber valve pattern”, from a worker of Cubitermes fungifaber (Sjöstedt, 1896): note the crest on PC5 which is twisted; B. Idem from a soldier of C. fungifaber without any crest on the odd PCs; C. Idem from an imago of C. fungifaber without any crest on the odd PCs; A, B and C at the same scale; D. Geographical distribution of the species with the fungifaber valve pattern.