Labiotermes brevilabius Emerson & Banks

Constantino, Reginaldo, Acioli, Agno N. S., Schmidt, Karen, Cuezzo, Carolina, Carvalho, Sérgio H. C. & Vasconcellos, Alexandre, 2006, A taxonomic revision of the Neotropical termite genera Labiotermes Holmgren and Paracornitermes Emerson (Isoptera: Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae), Zootaxa 1340, pp. 1-44 : 8-10

Labiotermes brevilabius Emerson & Banks

Labiotermes brevilabius Emerson & Banks, 1965: 24 –28 [imago ( Fig. 7 ), soldier ( Fig. 8 )]; Fontes 1998: 374 [gut, figs. 21–24]

Holotype: soldier ( AMNH), not examined.

Type­locality: Brazil: São Paulo, Novo Horizonte.

Imago ( Fig. 12 A) Described and illustrated by Emerson & Banks 1965: 24–26. Additional measurements are presented in Table 1 .

Soldier ( Figs. 1 A–C, 11A). Described by Emerson & Banks 1965: 26–27. Additional measurements are presented in Table 2 .

Comparisons. The most similar species is L. longilabius , which has fewer bristles on the head, labrum more elongate and with a distinct shape of the hyaline tip, and projection on front coxa small and rounded. L. leptothrix is also similar, but its head is densely covered with microscopic hairs. The other species are conspicuously larger.

Worker ( Figs. 1 D–G, 13A, 15A–B, 16A). Head capsule and postclypeus with numerous straight bristles. Pronotum with numerous bristles on anterior lobe and a few bristles on posterior margin. Mesonotum with a line of bristles on posterior margin. Front coxawith a conspicuous lateral conical projection near base. Antenna with 15 articles. Fontanelle large and rounded. Enteric valve with a single, wide and flat ridge, covered with minute spines. Mixed segment with a single, elongate, mesenteric lobe; small lobe vestigial. Measurements in Table 3 .

continued.

Comparisons. The enteric valve armature and the mixed segment are distinct from all other species of Labiotermes .

Geographical distribution. L. brevilabius shows a peculiar geographic pattern, occurring only in the eastern portion of the Cerrado biome, including some patches of cerrado vegetation in northeastern Brazil ( Fig. 17 ). Most samples come from cerrado vegetation (savanna), but there are also records from urban areas and Eucalyptus plantations.

Material examined

BRAZIL. Ceará. Crato: s., w., im., 10.xi.1975, R.L. Araujo (MZSP­6388). Distrito Federal. Fazenda Água Limpa: s., w., 26.v.1994, R. Constantino (UnB­0002). Reserva Ecológica do IBGE: s., w., im., 18.ix.1998, R. Constantino (UnB­1278, 1284, 1290, 1299). Goiás. Minaçu, UHE Serra da Mesa: s., w., 26.ii.1997, R. Constantino (UnB­0237, 0238). Minas Gerais. Araguari: s., w., im., 08.xi.1972, R.L. Araujo (MZSP­5685). Bocaiúva: s., 20.xi.1998, N.R.A. Castro (UnB­1779). Paracatu, Fazenda Rossato: s., w., im., 27.x.2001, R. Constantino (UnB­3089). Paracatu, Fazenda Susano: s., w., 28.x.2001, R. Constantino (UnB­3132); s., w., 01.xi.2001, R. Constantino (UnB­3258). Guarda­Mor: s., 29.x.2001, R. Constantino (UnB­3139). Buritis, Fazenda São Miguel: s., w., 01.viii.2002, R.A. Calderon (UnB­4796, 4846, 4848, 4856). Lagoa Santa: s., w., im., 12.xi.1992, M.P. Andrade (UnB­2339); s., w., im., 01.x.1992, T.A. Gontijo (UnB­2340). Parque Nacional Grande Sertão Veredas: s., w., 17.iv.2000, J. Dalponte (UnB­2713). Piauí. Corrente: s., w., 27.xi.1991, E.M. Cancello (MZSP­10166). Parque Nacional de Sete Cidades: s., w., 12.xii.1976, R.L. Araujo (MZSP­7176). Tocantins. Dianópolis, Fazenda Novo Iguaçu: s., w., 25.ix.2003, D.L. Bernardo (UnB­5115); s., w., 28.ix.2003, F. Godoy (UnB­5147, 5148).

WH LH LM continued.

LT WP WH WP LT L. pelliceus 1.2–1.4 1.31 0.65–0.85 0.78 1.25–1.35 1.32 67

Figures

FIGURES 1. Labiotermes brevilabius. Soldier: A, head in dorsal view; B, thorax; C, head in profile. Worker: D, head in dorsal view; E, thorax; F, head in profile; G, right front leg. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 7. Labiotermes longilabius. Soldier: A, head in dorsal view; B, head in profile. Worker: C, head in dorsal view; D, thorax; E, head in profile; F, right front leg. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 8. Labiotermes oreadicus, new species. Soldier: A, head in dorsal view; B, pronotum in dorsal view; C, pronotum in posterior view; D, head in profile; E, right front leg; F, postmentum. Worker: G, head in dorsal view; H, thorax; I, head in profile; J, right front leg. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 12. Imago mandibles. A, Labiotermes brevilabius; B, L. emersoni; C, L. labralis; D, L. orthocephalus. A = apical tooth; M 1 – 3 = first, second and third marginal teeth; M 4 = subsidiary marginal tooth (= molar tooth); MPR = molar prominence; MPL = molar plate. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 17. Geographic distribution of Labiotermes brevilabius. The double circle indicates the type­locality.

Tables

TABLE 1. Measurements of imagos of Labiotermes. WH = width of head; LH = length of head; WP = width of pronotum; LT = length of hind tibia; LP = length of pronotum; DE = diameter of eye; LOc = length of ocelus; n = number of specimens measured.

	WH		LH	LT	LP
	range	mean	range mean	range mean	range	mean
L. brevilabius	1.15–1.5	1.27	0.9–1.35 1.11	1.55–1.9 1.76	0.7–0.9	0.78
L. emersoni	1.45–1.75	1.63	1.1–1.35 1.27	1.8–2.3 2.17	0.75–1.0	0.91
L. labralis	1.35–1.65	1.49	1.2–1.35 1.25	2.35–2.8 2.49	0.8–1.05	0.94
L. orthocephalus	1.55–2.0	1.78	1.35–1.6 1.46	2.6–3.2 2.94	0.95–1.45	1.20

TABLE 2. Measurements of soldiers of Labiotermes. WH = width of head; LH = length of head; LM = length of left mandible; LT = length of hind tibia; WP = width of pronotum; n = number of specimens measured .. L. laticephalus has two soldiers: major (1) and minor (2).

	range mean	range	mean	range	mean
L. brevilabius	1.45–1.8 1.63	1.95–2.4	2.19	0.8–1.1	0.99
L. emersoni	2.1–3.05 2.55	2.6–3.5	3.10	1.1–1.55	1.43
L. guasu	3.1–3.9 3.54	3.35–4.3	4.00	2.15–2.6	2.39
L. labralis	1.9–2.8 2.41	2.2–3.4	2.80	1.1–1.6	1.42
L. laticephalus 1	3.4–3.7 3.57	3.65–4.0	3.84	1.5–1.75	1.62
L. laticephalus 2	2.6–3.2 2.92	2.9–3.7	3.31	1.35–1.6	1.51
L. leptothrix	1.95–2.45 2.26	2.35–2.95	2.72	1.0–1.35	1.25
L. longilabius	1.5–2.3 1.94	1.7–2.55	2.34	0.8–1.3	1.13
L. oreadicus	­ 3.67	­	4.13	­	1.95
L. orthocephalus	2.3–3.4 2.88	2.9–3.8	3.41	1.2–1.75	1.54
L. pelliceus	2.2–2.6 2.45	2.5–3.05	2.87	1.25–1.5	1.35