Heterotermes vagus (Hill, 1927)

Bourguignon, Thomas & Roisin, Yves, 2011, Revision of the termite family Rhinotermitidae (Isoptera) in New Guinea, ZooKeys 148, pp. 55-103 : 65

Heterotermes vagus (Hill, 1927) Figs 32-3644

Leucotermes vagus Hill 1927: 53-55.

Heterotermes vagus (Hill). Hill 1942: 134-136.

Leucotermes venustus Hill 1927: 55. New synonymy.

Heterotermes venustus (Hill). Hill 1942: 131-134.

Material examined.

Lectotype and paralectotype soldier: AUSTRALIA:Northern Territory: Darwin, 01.viii.1914 (G.F. Hill) (NMVA #T-10848, #T-18705) Lectotype of Heterotermes venustus :AUSTRALIA:Northern Territory: Stapleton, 4.xi.1914 (G.F. Hill) (NMVA #T-10850). Other material:PAPUA NEW GUINEA:Fly: Morehead, 23.iii.1989 (YR & ML) (#PNGT1419, 1420, 1422); Morehead, 25.iii.1989 (YR & ML) (#PNGT1441); Lake Murray, 25.v.1990 (YR & ML) (#PNGT1588, 1597).

New synonymy.

Hill (1942) pointed out the similarity of Heterotermes venustus and Heterotermes vagus , but maintained both names arguing that Heterotermes venustus has a larger labrum and antennae with more articles. However, after comparing the type series of both species, we did not notice any difference in these characters, nor in any other morphological feature. For this reason, we consider these two species as synonyms and hereby give precedence to Heterotermes vagus .

Imago.

Unknown from New Guinea (see Hill 1942 for further details).

Soldier.

(Figs 32-36). Soldiers of small size. Head elongated, with a prominent hump at front, covered by plenty of short setae. Labrum elongated with sharp tip. Antennae generally with 13 articles. Pronotum short and narrow, covered by about 50 setae. Postmentum slightly narrow, without setae. Mandibles slightly curved at tips. Measurements (mm) of lectotype of Heterotermes vagus , lectotype of Heterotermes venustus [brackets] and 18 soldiers from 6 colonies (parentheses): HLC: 1.32 [1.43] (1.12-1.37); HLL: 1.75 [1.83] (1.48-1.76); HW: 0.80 [0.82] (0.74-0.83); PL: 0.40 [0.41] (0.32-0.50); PW: 0.55 [0.62] (0.49-0.60); RML: 0.92 [0.89] (0.80-0.93); MPW: 0.34 [0.31] (0.29-0.33); T3L: 0.65 [0.66] (0.54-0.66).

Distribution.

(Fig. 44).This species was collected in Sourthern Papua New Guinea. It is also known from northernmost Queensland and Northern Territory (Australia) ( Watson and Abbey 1993).