Amitermes bandeirai, Rocha & Cancello, 2020

Rocha, Mauricio M. & Cancello, Eliana M., 2020, Comparative anatomy of the gut of the South American species of Amitermes, with description of two new species and an identification key based on soldiers and workers, Zootaxa 4751 (1), pp. 75-104 : 88-96

Amitermes bandeirai sp. n.

Holotype. Soldier, part of lot MZUSP 26717 , 19.xi.2016, J.P. Constantini coll.

Type-locality. Teixeira de Freitas Municipality (-17.5078, -39.6318, in loco coordinates), Bahia State, Brazil. Collection notes: “Backyard with fruit trees and probably fertilized soil (smelling of NPK). Amitermes in a triangular nest of soft periphery and very hard and clear interior. Strong mango scent, attracting “jataí bees”(Meliponinae)”.

Paratypes. BRAZIL. Bahia. Andaraí: Mata do Carrasco. 12–13.xii.1990, E.M. Cancello & M. T. Ponte (11360, 11362, 11366, 11369, 11370); Conde: 15.xi.2016, J.P. Constantini (26694, 26745, 26746); Ilhéus: CEPLAC Mata Zoobotânica , 02–05.x.2001, Y. T. Reis (14948, 14949, 14950, 14951, 14952, 14953, 14955, 14956, 14957, 14958, 14959, 14960, 14961, 14962, 14963, 14964, 14966), Distrito Olivença, 25.vii.1974, R.L. Araujo (5565), Mata da Esperança , 06–16.xi.2000, Y. T. Reis (12404, 12426, 12427, 14272, 14290, 14954*, 15738,), 11.xi.2000, C. Bordereau (15552*), 16.xi.2000 (15734, 15744), 21–24.v.2001, Y. T. Reis (14965, 15731, 15732, 15733, 15735, 15736, 15737, 15739, 15740, 15741, 15742, 15743); Itaberaba: 02–03.xii.1990, C. R.F. Brandão & J.L.M. Diniz (11376, 11377), 04.xii.1990 E.M. Cancello & M. T. Ponte (11379), Faz. Riacho do Uruçu, 01–03.xii.1990, E.M. Cancello & M. T. Ponte (11361, 11371, 11372, 11373, 11374, 11375, 11378); Itapetinga: 28.ii.1972, R.L. Araujo (5040); Jacobina: Morro do Chapéu (Serra do Tombador), 16.i.1980, E.M. Cancello (7982); Jequié: 22–23.vii.1974, R.L. Araujo (5559, 5555); Maracás: Faz. Maria Inácia, 23–26.xi.1990, E.M. Cancello & M. T. Ponte (11358, 11359, 11365, 11380); Mata de São João: R. Ecol. de Sapiranga, 23–26.vii.2001, Y. T. Reis (12396, 12398, 12399, 12400, 12401, 14274, 14275, 14276, 14277, 14278, 12397), 27.vii.2001, Y. T. Reis & E.M. Cancello (14273); Milagres: 16.vii.2010, J. V.N. Lima, J.D. Cruz & E.A. Alves (14891), 03.ii.2011 (14890); Mucugê: 06–11.xii.1990, E.M. Cancello & M. T. Ponte (11381, 15751, 15754, 15755, 15756, 15757, 15758, 15753), 08.xii.1990 C. R.F. Brandão & J.L.M. Diniz (11382); Porto Seguro: ESPAB, 21–22.i.2003, Y. T. Reis (12428, 12429, 12430), P.Nac. Pau Brasil, 17.xi.2016, J.P. Constantini (26689, 26742, 26743); Salvador: Ondina (Instituto Biológico), 07.vii.1970, R.L. Araujo (4822, 4823), Praia de Itapuã, 05.vii.1970, R.L. Araujo (4817, 4819); Teixeira de Freitas: 19.xi.2016, J.P. Constantini (26717*); Uruçuca: Escola Média de Agricultura, 25.ii.1972, R.L. Araujo (5123); Espírito Santo. Aracruz: 27.v.1954, R.L. Araujo (4155); Guarapari: 28.v.1954, R.L. Araujo (4180); Linhares: R.B. da Cia. Vale do Rio Doce, 28.i.1993, E.M. Cancello & B.A.O. Silva (9817, 9818*), R.B. de Sooretama , 26.v.1954, R.L. Araujo (4149), 31.viii.1966, H. Reichardt (1084, 1175, 1176), 04–11.iv.2001, L.C.M. Oliveira & E.M. Cancello (14280, 14282, 14283, 14284, 14285, 14286, 14281), 03–10.iv.2001, L.C.M. Oliveira (12380, 12381, 12382, 12383, 12384, 12385, 12386, 12387); Santa Teresa: Distrito de São João de Petrópolis, 25.v.1954, R.L. Araujo (4136, 12379); Sooretama : 24.xi.2014, N.C.C.P Barbosa (24916), 25–26.xi.2014, A.F. Santos (24914, 24921, 24922, 24923), Estrada do Meio, 26.xi.2014, R.G. Santos (24913), Trilha da Abóbora, 25.xi.2014, R.G. Santos (24911), Trilha do Cupido, 25.xi.2014, T.F. Carrijo (24912), Trilha do Quirinão, 26.xi.2014, R.G. Santos (24917), 26.xi.2014, T.F. Carrijo (24924); Minas Gerais. Itaobim: 26.vi.1966, H. Reichardt (2090); Teófilo Otoni: 27.vii.1970, R.L. Araujo (4772); Paraíba. Areia: Mata do Pau Ferro, 08.xii.1999, A. Vasconcellos (23295); Campina Grande: 19.xi.1975, R.L. Araujo (6439); João Pessoa: A.P.A. Mata do Buraquinho, 01.vi.2000, A. Vasconcellos (11363, 13604, 13605, 13606, 13607, 13608, 13609, 13610, 13611, 13612, 13613, 13614), R.B. Guaribas, 23.x.2015, N.C.C.P. Barbosa (24915), UFPB, 21.x.2015, N.C.C.P. Barbosa (24918); Pernambuco. Caruaru: 14.vii.1974, R.L. Araujo (5482); Igarassu: Usina São José, 18.ix.1966, M.M. Chaves (1177); Mataraca: 18.xi.1975, R.L. Araujo (6433); Recife: BR 232, 13.vii.1974, R.L. Araujo (5467), P.E. Dois Irmãos, 04.vii.2000, A. Vasconcellos (13596, 13597, 13598, 13599, 13600, 13601), M.P. Silva (13602, 13603), 04.viii.2000, A. Vasconcellos (12432), 09/1969, G. Arruda (5381); Sanharó: Sítio Boi Manso, 14.vii.1974, R.L. Araujo (5483); Rio Grande do Norte. Extremoz: Centro Tecnológico de Agricultura, 06.xii.2012, M.P. Valim (16098, 16099); Natal: 17.xi.1975, R.L. Araujo (6426), Praia de Ponta Negra, 17.xi.1975, R.L. Araujo (6423); Sergipe. Itaporanga d’Ajuda: Faz. Caju, 06.ix.1983, C. R.F. Brandão (9904, 9905); Santa Luzia do Itanhy: R. Ecol. do Crasto, 30/vii–01.viii.2000, Y. T. Reis (12402, 12403, 12431), 30.vii.2001, E.M. Cancello & Y. T. Reis (11364).

Etymology. The species epithet “bandeirai” is given in honor of our dearly departed colleague Adelmar Gomes Bandeira, who assembled new and important termite collections and whose invaluable contributions to the field and role as teacher, paved the way for other termitologists.

Imago (Figs. 10 C, 10D): Head round; eyes small and oval, separated from ventral margin of head by less than half their diameter. Ocelli small, short, oval, separated from eyes by at least their longest diameter. Postclypeus short, not swollen. Fontanelle white, drop-shaped, with pointed frontal end. Antennae with 15 articles, third the shortest, increasing in size from 4th to 11th, last four articles longer and about same size. Mandibles as in worker. Pronotum almost square, anterior margin nearly straight or slightly concave, narrower than head width. Densely haired; head with some erect bristles, many decumbent bristles and many hairs; pronotum with hairs and decumbent bristles on surface and some erect bristles on margins; tergites with many hairs and erect bristles on posterior margin. Head, pronotum, body and wings brown; antennae, sternites and legs paler brown. Measurements (12 individuals, males and females from two colonies, in millimeters), LH: 0.58–0.75, WH: 0.93–1.00, MDE: 0.18–0.20, MaDO: 0.09–0.11, MiDO: 0.07, LP: 0.45–0.48, WP: 0.75–0.82, MiLW: 7.33–7.92, LT: 1.00–1.10, DEHM: 0.03–0.06.

Soldier (Figs. 27A, 27B, 33B): Head subrectangular, with sides slightly convergent toward front, top of head convex in profile; labrum rounded, slightly angled at apex; postmentum elongated and with sinusoid margins. Mandibles arched inward, with continuous curvature, fishhook-shaped, marginal teeth marked, directed slightly backward. Antennae with 14 articles. Anterior and posterior margins of pronotum rounded. Head with scatted bristles dorsally and laterally; labrum with 8–10 bristles, longest pair of these apically; pronotum with bristles concentrated at anterior and posterior margins; abdomen covered densely with bristles dorsally and ventrally, and short bristles ventrally; legs with sparse bristles. Measurements (10 individuals, from five colonies, in millimeters), CLM: 0.72– 0.83, LH: 1.38–1.67, WH: 0.97–1.12, LT: 0.75–0.93.

Worker mandibles ( Fig. 28A ): With typical xylophagous pattern. Left mandible: apical tooth slightly larger than M1+2, M3 easily recognizable, with marked cutting edge between marginal teeth, molar tooth hidden by molar prominence; molar prominence with marked striations. Right mandible: apical tooth larger than M1, M2 easily recognizable, with marked posterior cutting edge; molar plate with four marked ridges.

Gut anatomy ( Figs. 22C , 23C, 23D , 29A, 30A): Gut torsion and morphology of segments as in A. amifer ( Fig. 4 ), except for P1 cuticular ornamentation composed of groups of parallel very small spines around mesenteric tongue ( Figs. 22C , 23C ), followed by elongated area of spines with sclerotized base located proximally ( Figs. 22C , 23D ) and sparse spines on distal portion, just before enteric valve ( Fig. 22C ); enteric-valve armature (P2) weakly sclerotized, with six elongated cushions ornamented with a heterogeneous coverage of small scattered spines. Some cushions present only few spines distally (Fig. 30A, arrows).

Comparisons: Regarding the soldiers, in A. aporema the marginal teeth are absent or poorly marked (Figs. 11A, 11C); the mandibles of A. excellens are more elongated with a less pronounced curve, with the marginal teeth locat- ed proximally ( Fig. 15C ); and A. amicki , A. amifer , A. foreli and A. lilloi have the marginal teeth more distinct, with the general slender and continuous mandible shape ( Figs. 1A, 1C , 15E , 27C). Amitermes bandeirai sp. n., shares the same fishhook-shaped mandibles with A. beaumonti and A. lunae , but can be distinguished from A. beaumonti by the larger size and the robust mandibles; and from A. lunae by the proportion of the mandibles to the head capsule, which is relatively smaller in the new species. The geographic distribution of these three species is very distinct, A. bandeirai occur predominantly in the South American Atlantic Forest from the state of Espírito Santo northward, plus a few localities in the northeastern Caatinga biome ( Fig. 31 ), while A. beaumonti is restricted to Central America and A. lunae is typical of very dry environments on the western coast of South America (Fig. 26).

The worker gut does not have marked characteristics and cannot be distinguished from A. amifer by the coiling. The soldier morphology is more useful for identification purposes, and it is desirable to compare a good series of individuals.

Comments. The distribution of Amitermes bandeirai , sp. n. is remarkable, occurring mainly in rain forest (Atlantic Forest) with few registries in northeastern Brazil in the Caatinga or high-altitude fields (campo rupestre), such as in Mucugê, state of Bahia. This species is xylophagous and has been collected in dead logs, on a partially buried branch, in a dead branch on a living tree, and in a standing dead tree. In the Caatinga, it is most common in the dead leaves surrounding the dry base of individuals of Bromeliaceae , and also occupies abandoned nests constructed by other species. One sample was collected inside an epigeic nest of Syntermes dirus , in the upper region of the nest, in paved galleries contrasting with the loose earth of the Syntermes nest.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Soldiers in dorsal and lateral views: Amitermes amicki (A, B) and A. amifer (C, D).

FIGURE 4. Digestive tube of Amitermes amifer worker: dorsal (A), right (B), ventral (C) and left (D) views, detail of mesenteric tongue (E); arrow: insertion of P1 at P3.

FIGURE 15. Soldiers in dorsal and lateral views: Amitermes beaumonti (A, B), A. excellens (C, D), A. foreli (E, F) and A. lunae (G, H).

FIGURE 22. Schematic drawing of the ornaments at the P1, the respective photomicrographs are indicated by the setae: Amitermes foreli (A), A. lunae (B), A. bandeirai (C) and A. lilloi (D); MT: mesenteric tongue position, EV: enteric valve position.

FIGURE 23. P1 ornaments details: Amitermes foreli, spines around mesenteric tongue (A); A. lunae, spines at the proximal portion (B); A. bandeirai, spines at the proximal portion (C) and spines after the mesenteric tongue (D); and A. lilloi, spines at the proximal portion (E); MT: mesenteric tongue position.

FIGURE 28. Worker mandibles in dorsal view: Amitermes bandeirai (A) and A. lilloi (B).

FIGURE 31. Geographic records of A. bandeirai and A. lilloi deposited at MZUSP.