Labiotermes leptothrix Mathews

Labiotermes leptothrix Mathews, 1977: 208 –210 [imago (Fig. 149, 160), soldier (Fig. 148), enteric valve armature (Pl. 49)]

Labiotermes pellisetaceus nomen nudum, Mathews 1977: 201, 207, 259, 262 [figure captions only]

Holotype: imago, female (MZSP), examined.

Type­locality: Brazil: Mato Grosso, Xavantina.

Imago. Described and illustrated by Mathews (1977: 208–209).

Soldier (Figs. 6 A–B, 11F). Described by Mathews (1977: 209). Additional measurements are presented in Table 2.

Comparisons. The soldier of L. leptothrix is easily recognizable by the presence of numerous microscopic hairs on the head capsule. However, these hairs are only visible with magnification of 40X or higher and adequate light. The most similar species are L. longilabius and L. brevilabius, which lack these microscopic hairs and have different labra.

Worker (Figs. 6 C–F, 13F, 14D, 15K–L, 16F). Head capsule and postclypeus with numerous bristles. Pronotum with numerous bristles on anterior lobe and a row of bristles on posterior margin. Mesonotum with a line of bristles on posterior margin. Front coxa with a lateral hump near base. Antenna with 15 articles. Fontanelle large and rounded. Enteric valve with 5 finger­like ridges of unequal sizes, covered with fine spines. Mixed segment with two elongate mesenteric lobes; large lobe with narrow tip; small lobe about one third the length of the large one. Measurements in Table 3.

Comparisons. The worker of L. leptothrix can be recognized by the very large apical teeth on both mandibles and the enteric valve armature, which has 5 ridges.

Geographical distribution. L. leptothrix occurs in the northern part of the Cerrado biome (Fig. 21). Most records are from cerrado vegetation, but Mathews (1977: 210) also found it in a valley forest.

Remark 1. Mathews (1977: 234, plate 49) states that the enteric valve of L. leptothrix has 6 finger­like plates (ridges). However, his own illustration shows only 5 ridges. All specimens we examined had 5 ridges, not 6.

Remark 2. Labiotermes pellisetaceus is a nomen nudum which appears in figure captions in Mathews (1977), obviously as a result of an error. The association of a name with illustrations alone does not satisfy the requirements of article 13 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN, 1999). The fact that the original description of L. leptothrix was published in the same book is irrelevant. The name itself should be accompanied by a description or definition that states in words characters that are purported to diferentiate the taxon. This name is not available and therefore is not to be treatead as a real synonym.

Material examined

BRAZIL. Amazonas. Humaitá: s., w., 01.vii.2003, G.C. Costa (UnB­4784). Goiás.

Alvorada do Norte, Fazenda Paraná: s., w., 24–25.viii.2003, D.L. Bernardo (UnB­4021, 4067). Mimoso: s., w., 21.ii.1999, R. Chaves (UnB­1946). Minaçu, Serra da Mesa: s., w., 25.ii.1997, R. Constantino (UnB­235, 236). Mato Grosso. Chapada dos Guimarães, Rio Manso: s., w., 16–17.i.1999, R. Constantino (UnB­849, 891). Chapada dos Guimarães: s., w., 10.ii.1976, R.L. Araujo (MZSP­6574, 6608). Cuiabá: s., w., 15.ii.1976, R.L. Araujo (MZSP­6536). Rondonia. Pimenta Bueno: s., w., 24.vii.2000, R. Constantino (UnB­2524).