Schievitermes, Roisin, 2022
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publication ID |
https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1125.91124 |
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publication LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:pub:4E1FBE4F-E1C9-46C2-89AE-28794DD229F7 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B8C1A8B-047A-4CEC-A182-0288A0593CF4 |
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taxon LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:act:9B8C1A8B-047A-4CEC-A182-0288A0593CF4 |
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treatment provided by |
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scientific name |
Schievitermes |
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gen. nov. |
Schievitermes gen. nov.
Remark.
This genus is presently monotypic.
Type species.
Schievitermes globicornis sp. nov.
Description.
Imago: only known from a single queen. See species description.
Soldier (Figs 1 View Figures 1–3 - 4 View Figures 4–7 ): Head capsule (Figs 1-3 View Figures 1–3 ) subquadrangular with rounded corners, about twice as long as broad, bearing numerous (~100) setae. Mandibles approximately as long as head capsule, rather thick, of the snapping type. Right mandible almost straight, only slightly curved inwards. Left mandible slightly but distinctly sinuous: outer margin slightly concave near base, convex in middle, then concave again at level of contact with right mandible, then curved inwards at tip. Tips of both mandibles hooked, turned about 60° inwards. Antennae of 13 articles, apical article reaching beyond left mandible tip; article 3 distinctly globular, as broad as article 1 and broader than all other articles. Labrum (Fig. 4 View Figures 4–7 ) with nearly parallel sides, anterior margin sinuous, convex in middle, bearing a few long bristles, anterior corners rounded. Frons without projection.
Worker (Figs 5 View Figures 4–7 - 9 View Figures 9–14 , 12-13 View Figures 9–14 , 15-17 View Figures 15–17 ): Monomorphic. Head capsule whitish, bearing many setae. Mandibles (Fig. 5 View Figures 4–7 ) of the wood-feeding type. Left mandible: distance between teeth A-M1+2 approximately half the distance M1+2-M3. M3 well-marked, premolar tooth (sensu Deligne 1999) blade-like, molar ridges well developed. Right mandible: distance between teeth A-M1 short, M2 well-marked, molar ridges well developed. Crop moderately developed, gizzard (Figs 6 View Figures 4–7 , 7 View Figures 4–7 ) of the generalized type ( Noirot 2001), cuticular armature limited to small pectinated scales on the pulvilli (Fig. 7 View Figures 4–7 ). Mixed segment long, mesenteric tongue bilobate distally (Fig. 8 View Figure 8 ). Ileum (P1) slightly dilated, narrowing into P2. Enteric valve (P2) funnel-like, conical at end of P1, becoming a narrow tube at junction with P3. Enteric valve armature (Fig. 9 View Figures 9–14 ) consisting in two rings of spine-bearing areas, the proximal one in the conical section of P2, formed by three ovoid cushions alternating with elongated ones, all bearing small triangular spines; distal ring within the narrow tubular section, formed by six alternating short and long cushions bearing thin, curved spines. Paunch (P3) voluminous, with wall bearing numerous small spines, longer in rounded posterior section near entrance of P2 (Fig. 12 View Figures 9–14 ), short and often pectinated in anterior section narrowing towards P4 (Fig. 13 View Figures 9–14 ).
Etymology.
From local Brussels dialect schieve = not straight, askew, and Latin termes = termite. The name refers to the slight grade of asymmetry displayed by soldier mandibles.
Diagnosis.
Soldier: Among neotropical snappers, the absence of a frontal projection distinguishes Schievitermes from Termes , Inquilinitermes , Cavitermes , Palmitermes , Dihoplotermes , and Cornicapritermes . Planicapritermes has a characteristic flattened head capsule and strongly asymmetrical mandibles. Schievitermes differs from Crepititermes by its thicker mandibles with a slight, but distinct asymmetry, and globular third antennal article. Neocapritermes species are consistently larger (head width> 1 mm), have more antennal articles (15-16 vs 13) and their mandible asymmetry is always more pronounced ( Krishna and Araujo 1968; Constantino 1991; Bandeira and Cancello 1992).
Worker: Mandibles are of the wood-feeding type, as in Neocapritermes and Planicapritermes , with a short space between apical and anterior marginal teeth, and well-developed molar ridges. Termes (with the exception of the wood-feeding species, T. hispaniolae (Banks, 1918)), Crepititermes , Inquilinitermes , Cavitermes , Palmitermes , Dihoplotermes and Cornicapritermes have mandibles of the soil feeding type, with a broad space between apical and anterior marginal teeth, and reduced molar ridges. The digestive tube of Schievitermes is similar to that of Planicapritermes , but the bilobed apex of the mesenteric part of the mixed segment is distinctive. Neocapritermes also possesses two mesenteric lobes, but the mixed segment is shorter and the mesenteric lobes are larger and more widely separated ( Constantino 1998; Almeida-Azevedo et al. 2021). The enteric valve armature of Schievitermes is similar to that of Planicapritermes (Figs 10 View Figures 9–14 , 11 View Figures 9–14 ), apart from minor differences in the ornamentation of spiny areas. Cuticular differentiations within P3 of Schievitermes are intermediate between the long spines and filaments observed in Neocapritermes ( Noirot 2001) and the tiny spines present in Planicapritermes ( Noirot 2001; Fig. 14 View Figures 9–14 ).
Most workers show signs of dehiscence between metanotum and first abdominal tergite, ranging from a short slit-like aperture bordered by brown sclerotic marks (Fig. 15 View Figures 15–17 ) to a broad opening through which the whole anterior part of the gut protrudes (Figs 16 View Figures 15–17 , 17 View Figures 15–17 ).
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.