Pericapritermes, Silvestri, 1914

Amina, Poovoli, Rajmohana, Keloth, Dinesh, K. P. & Asha, Gopalan, 2022, Integrative taxonomic studies on Rinacapritermes Amina & Rajmohana, n. gen. (Blattodea: Isoptera: Termitidae) with two new species from India, Zoosystema 44 (3), pp. 109-124 : 121

KEY TO THE SOLDIERS OF GENERA UNDER PERICAPRITERMES -GROUP FOUND IN THE ORIENTAL REGION

1. Head with highly sclerotized frontal ridge, head somewhat phragmotic .......................................................... .......................................................................................................... Kemneritermes Ahmad & Akhtar, 1981

— Head without frontal ridge and not phragmotic .......................................................................................... 2

2. Antero-lateral corners of head produced into a distinct tubercle-like projection ( Fig. 6A arrowed part) .......... ....................................................................................................................... Dicuspiditermes Krishna, 1968 .

— Antero-lateral corners of head rounded, not produced into tubercle-like projection .................................... 3

3. Left mandible moderately twisted at middle, sharply pointed at tip or forming a beak or bent like a hook .... 4

— Left mandible strongly twisted at middle, blunt at tip ................................................................................. 8

4. Antennae with 13 segments; mandibles thin, slender and weakly bent at middle .... Homallotermes John, 1925 .

— Antennae with 14 segments, mandibles thick, moderately to strongly bent at middle .................................. 5

5. Head with frontal projection, left mandible moderately bent at middle ...... Mirocapritermes Holmgren, 1914

— Head without frontal projection, left mandible strongly bent at middle ...................................................... 6

6. Distal tip of left mandible bent like a beak ................................................. Pseudocapritermes Kemner, 1934 .

— Distal tip of left mandible slightly incurved and bent in form of hook ........................................................ 7

7. Mandibles thin and slender. Apical tibial spur formula 3: 2: 2 ...................... Procapritermes Holmgren, 1912 .

— Mandibles comparatively thick and stouter. Apical tibial spur formula 2: 2: 2 ................................................ .................................................................................................................. Sinocapritermes Ping & Xu, 1986 .

8. Labrum greatly swollen ................................................................................ Labiocapritermes Krishna, 1968 .

— Labrum not much swollen .......................................................................................................................... 9

9. Head moderately hairy; frons sharply inclining in front ............................................................................ 10

— Head sparsely hairy; frons gradually inclining in front ............................................................................... 11

10. Antero-lateral points of labrum minute, thin and with a narrow base ( Fig. 6C ); anterior lobe of pronotum slightly convex and weakly notched ( Fig. 7B ). Antennae 14 segmented ....... Indocapritermes Chhotani, 1997 .

— Antero-lateral points of labrum long, robust and with broad base ( Figs 1D ; 2D ); anterior lobe of pronotum strongly convex and without notch ( Fig. 7A ). Antennae 15 segmented .......................................................... ................................................................................................ Rinacapritermes Amina & Rajmohana , n. gen.

11. Fontanelle transverse, fontanelle gland large ........................................... Krishnacapritermes Chhotani, 1997 .

— Fontanelle small, circular, fontanelle gland small ....................................................................................... 12

12. Left mandible without lower basal projection, sometime a minute pimple-like tubercle present. Labrum short, thick, broader than long .................................................................................. Pericapritermes Silvestri, 1914 .

— Left mandible with well developed indented lower basal projection. Labrum long, as long as or longer than wide .......................................................................................................................................................... 13

13. Labrum anteriorly deeply concave, as long as wide, antero-lateral processes with points at bases ..................... ...................................................................................................... Oriencapritermes Ahmad & Akhtar, 1981 .

— Labrum anteriorly shallowly concave, longer than wide, antero-lateral processes without points at bases ........ ......................................................................................................... Syncapritermes Ahmad & Akhtar, 1981

Figures

FIG. 6. — Labrum of genera under Pericapritermes-group;A, Dicuspiditermes incola (Wasmann,1893); B, Homallotermes pilosus (Mathur & Thapa,1962); C, Indocapritermes aruni Chhotani,1997;D, Krishnacapritermes maitii Chhotani,1997;E, Labiocapritermes distortus (Silvestri,1922);F, Pericapritermes dunensis (Roonwal & Sen-Sarma, 1960); G, Procapritermes keralai (Chhotani & Ferry, 1995); H, Pseudocapritermes fletcheri (Holmgren & Holmgren, 1917). Scale bars: A-C, 0.3 mm; D, E, H, 0.2 mm; F, G, 0.1 mm.

FIG. 7. — A, pronotum of Rinacapritermes silvius Amina & Rajmohana,n. gen.,n. sp. soldier; B, pronotum of Indocapritermes aruni Chhotani,1997 soldier C, mandible of Rinacapritermes abundans Amina & Rajmohana, n. gen., n. sp. soldier D, mandible of Indocapritermes aruni soldier. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

FIG. 1. — Rinacapritermes silvius Amina & Rajmohana, n. gen., n. sp.: A, soldier body dorsal view; B, soldier head dorsal view; C, soldier head profile; D, soldier’s labrum; E, soldier’s postmentum; F, worker left and right mandible. Scale bars: A, B, 0.5 mm; C, F, 0.3 mm; D, 0.1 mm; E, 0.2 mm.

FIG. 2. — Rinacapritermes abundans Amina & Rajmohana,n. gen., n. sp.: A, soldier body dorsal view; B, soldier head dorsal view; C, soldier head profile; D, soldier’s labrum; E, soldier’s Postmentum; F, worker left and right mandible. Scale bars: A, 0.5 mm; B, F, 0.3 mm; C, 0.2 mm; D, E, 0.1 mm.