Macrognathotermes Miller

Bourguignon, Thomas, Leponce, Maurice & Roisin, Yves, 2008, Revision of the Termitinae with snapping soldiers (Isoptera: Termitidae) from New Guinea, Zootaxa 1769, pp. 1-34 : 13

Genus Macrognathotermes Miller

Macrognathotermes Miller, 1991: 1256 .

Type-species, by original designation: Macrognathotermes errator Miller, 1991: 1256 .

Diagnosis. Soldiers of this genus are characterized by the following characters ( Figs 25–26 ): frontal projection well developed; lateral tubercles usually present, sometimes reduced or absent; mandibles very long and slender; postmentum projecting only slightly below the head capsule; antennae 14-segmented; tibial spurs 2:2:2. Monomorphic workers. Worker left mandible index> 1.5, usually> 2.0 ( Figs 28 ). Enteric valve cushions of alternating size, slightly asymmetrical, with numerous small spines. Worker digestive tract with P1 enlarged, P3 subdivided into a posterior and an anterior section of the same size ( Fig. 63 ). For additional description see Miller (1991).

Figures

FIGURE 63. Worker digestive tract of Macrognathotermes errator. From left to right: dorsal view, right view, ventral view and left view. Mesenteron stippled. Arrows indicate the direction of transit.

FIGURES 25 – 28. Macrognathotermes errator: 25, soldier head, dorsal; 26, soldier head, lateral; 27, enteric valve; 28, worker mandibles. Scale bars: 25, 1 mm; 26, 0.5 mm.