Triclavitermes Ferreira, Carvalho & Vasconcellos, 2025

Ferreira, Renan Rodrigues, Carvalho, Antonio, Lucena, Emanuelly Félix De, Figueiredo, Rozzanna Esther Cavalcanti Reis De & Vasconcellos, Alexandre, 2025, Triclavitermes catoleensis (Termitidae: Apicotermitinae), a new soldierless termite genus and species from the Caatinga dry forest, northeastern Brazil, Zootaxa 5706 (3), pp. 383-396 : 386-387

Triclavitermes Ferreira, Carvalho & Vasconcellos , gen. nov.

Type-species. Triclavitermes catoleensis sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Enteric valve seating (EVS) forms a well-defined ring at the enteric valve (EV) insertion, followed by a short tubular portion of P3. It also features a mesenteric tongue with a whitish spherical mesenteric nodule in ventral view. EV with three semi-spherical sclerotized plates.

Imago. Unknown.

Worker. External morphology ( Fig. 1 ): Monomorphic, with a pale-yellow head covered by sparsely spaced bristles of the same color. Head slightly convex in profile, post-clypeal region inflated, and fontanelle not visible. Antenna composed of 14 segments, with relative lengths 2>3=4<5. The pronotum, mesonotum, and metanotum are adorned with long bristles distributed along the anterior margin of each nota. The abdomen is covered, dorsal and ventrally, by small, posteriorly directed bristles, with only its ventral portion also exhibiting larger and more spaced, anteriorly oriented. The foretibia is slightly inflated and covered with both bristles and hairs. Measurements (in millimeters) were taken from a total of 25 workers ( five specimens from each of the five different localities): WH: 0.64–0.71 (mean: 0.67); LfT: 0.45–0.74 (mean: 0.50); WfT: 0.12–0.17 (mean: 0.14); and LhT: 0.50–0.64 (mean: 0.59).

Mandibles ( Fig. 2 ): Left mandible with an apical tooth larger than M1+2, M1+2 possessing a rounded tip and M3 forming a right angle. The incision between M1+2 and M3 is quite wide. The molar process is small and not hidden by the molar prominence, which is well developed. Right mandible apical tooth three times the size of M1, with its posterior edge forming an acute angle with M1. The edge between M1 and M2 forms an obtuse angle, and the molar plate is concave, lacking ridges.

Gut ( Fig. 3–4 ): The crop is globular, located immediately posterior to the thorax, visible centrally in dorsal view. The gizzard is inconspicuous and unarmed and follows the pattern found in most soil-termites, being underdeveloped, with four first-order pulvilli, and the pulvilli surface with pectinated scales. The junction between P1 and the mesenteron shows a moderately long mixed segment. The mesenteric tongue is slightly inflated in ventral view. Malpighian tubules are filiform, with no nodules. P1 is slightly sinuous with a uniform width along its length, connecting to P3 through an enteric valve seating (EVS), forming a well-defined ring where the armature of the enteric valve (EV) is everted ( Fig. 4 and 5E ). P3 is elongated and dilated, connected to P4 by a narrow isthmus located on the left lateral side in dorsal view ( Fig. 3B ). P4 elongated and exhibiting a pronounced U-turn. The connection P4–P5 forms a slight curve in dorsal view.

Etimology. Referring to the clava, a solid sphere with spines that was part of the maces used in medieval battles, due to its resemblance to the species’ enteric valve armature.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Dorsal view of the head (A), profile (B), and habitus (C) of the worker of Triclavitermes catoleensis sp. nov. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURE 2. Worker mandibles of Triclavitermes catoleensis sp. nov.; A: apical tooth; M: marginal teeth, MP: molar process, Mpr: molar prominence, Mpl: molar plate. Scale bar: 100 µm.

FIGURE 3.Gut of Triclavitermes catoleensissp. nov. worker:dorsal (A), left(B),right(C), andventral (D)views.Abbreviations: C = crop, MT = mesenteric tongue (mixed segment), MS = mesenteron, EVS = enteric valve seating, P1 = ileum, P3 and P3b = paunch, P4 = colon, P5 = rectum. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 4. Ring-shaped enteric valve seating (EVS) in Triclavitermes catoleensis sp. nov. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 5. Overall view (A), armature (B), fringed scales (C), transversal view (D) and insertion (E) of the enteric valve of Triclavitermes catoleensis sp. nov. Red arrows indicate the occasionally isolated single spine from the spherical plates of EVA. Scale bars: 100 μm.