Amitermes amicki Scheffrahn, 1999

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 : 76

Amitermes amicki Scheffrahn, 1999

Soldier ( Figs. 1A, 1B ): Described by Scheffrahn et al. (1999); additional illustrations are provided here.

Gut anatomy ( Fig. 2 ): Crop asymmetrical, with oesophagous insertion displaced to left side. Stomodeal valve inserted in apex of mesenteron. Mesenteric tongue internal to mesenteric arch, narrower proximally and gradually enlarging to tip, ending before dilated portion of first proctodeal segment (P1) ( Fig. 2D ). P1 fusiform, crossing abdomen diagonally in dorsal view, over paunch (P3), and inserted in P3 at right side of abdomen ( Fig. 2B , arrow). P3 well developed and globose. Isthmus clearly recognizable. Fourth proctodeal segment (P4) with short U-turn and slightly displaced to right side of body ( Figs. 2A, 2B ).

Material examined. VENEZUELA. Falcón. La Cruz de Taratara : 28.v.2008, R. H. Scheffrahn & collaborators (27470) .

Comments. We could not observe the internal cuticular structures (gizzard, enteric valve and P1 cuticular architecture), as only one worker was available to dissect.

Figures

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

FIGURE 2. Digestive tube of Amitermes amicki worker: dorsal (A), right (B), ventral (C) and left (D) views; C: Crop; MT: Mesenteric tongue; P1: First proctodeal segment (ileum); P3: Third proctodeal segment (paunch); P4: Fourth proctodeal segment (colon), P5: Fifth proctodeal segment (rectum); arrow: insertion of P1 at P3.