Coptotermes curvignathus Holmgren, 1913

Takematsu, Yoko & Vongkaluang, Charunee, 2012, A taxonomic review of the Rhinotermitidae (Isoptera) of Thailand, Journal of Natural History 46 (17 - 18), pp. 1079-1109 : 1084-1086

Coptotermes curvignathus Holmgren, 1913

( Figures 3A–E , 13A )

Coptotermes curvignathus Holmgren, 1913: 77–78 , pl.2, fig.11.

Coptotermes robustus Holmgren, 1913: 78 . Synonymized by Snyder, 1949: 77.

Material examined

THAILAND: Sakhon Nakhorn: Phu Phan National Park , 550 m altitude (alt.), 23 August 2003, Y. Takematsu coll. ; Nakhorn Ratchasima: two series, Nakhorn Ratchasima , 26 January 1998, Y. Takematsu coll. ; Sakaerat Environmental Research Station , 29 September 1998, Y. Takematsu coll. ; Surat Thani: three series, Khao Sok National Park , 300 m alt., 4 November 2002, Y. Takematsu coll. ; Songkhla: Prince of

Songkla University, Hat Yai , 16 August 1997, Y. Takematsu coll. ; Narathiwat: Hara Bara Wildlife Sanctuary , 12 September 1995, Y. Takematsu coll.

Diagnosis

Soldier. Head and pronotum with many long hairs; postmentum with several long hairs. Head considerably narrowed anteriorly, bHW / mHW 0.55–0.61 (0.59); mandibles strongly incurved, LML / HL 0.66–0.74 (0.70). Antennae with 15–16 segments. Narrowest part of postmentum located about one-third of the distance from the posterior margin to the widest point.

Measurements (mm)

Twelve soldiers from three series: HL, 1.52–1.75 (1.61); mHW, 1.30–1.56 (1.43); LML, 1.04–1.18 (1.14); PL, 0.57–0.65 (0.60); PW, 0.98–1.14 (1.05); PosL, 1.04–1.11 (1.06); PosW, 0.42–0.46 (0.44).

Distribution

Thailand, Burma, Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, Java.

Remarks

There is no other species in the Indomalayan region that reaches this large size, although wide variations of head shape and chaetotaxy have been reported ( Tho 1992). Strongly incurved mandibles are also diagnostic characters of this species.

Figures

Figure 3. Soldier of Coptotermes curvignathus Holmgren. (A) Head, dorsal view; (B) head, lateral view; (C) pronotum; (D) postmentum; (E) mandibles. Scale bar 0.5 mm.

Figure 13. Distribution of Coptotermes and Reticulitermes in Thailand. (A) Coptotermes curvignathus; (B) Coptotermes gestroi; (C) Coptotermes kalshoveni; (D) Coptotermes premrasmii; (E) Reticulitermes assamensis. (Record of C. premrasmii is from original description.)