Labiotermes laticephalus (Silvestri) Silvestri, 2006

Constantino, Reginaldo, Acioli, Agno N. S., Schmidt, Karen, Cuezzo, Carolina, Carvalho, Sérgio H. C. & Vasconcellos, Alexandre, 2006, A taxonomic revision of the Neotropical termite genera Labiotermes Holmgren and Paracornitermes Emerson (Isoptera: Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae), Zootaxa 1340, pp. 1-44 : 18-20

Labiotermes laticephalus (Silvestri) , new combination

Cornitermes laticephalus Silvestri, 1901: 5 ; Silvestri 1903: 61, 127 [soldier (Pl. Fig. 107), worker]; Desneux 1904: 37 ( Termes ); Holmgren 1912: 50 ( Cornitermes subgenus Labiotermes ); Snyder 1949: 333 ( Paracornitermes ); Emerson 1952: 485 ( Paracornitermes )[soldier, Fig. 4 ]; Araujo 1954: 183 –185 ( Paracornitermes ) [soldier, Figs. 2–3 , 5 ].

Syntypes: soldiers and workers (DEZA, MCSN), not examined.

Type­locality: Brazil: Mato Grosso, Cuiabá.

Imago. Unknown.

Major soldier ( Figs. 5 A–F, 11E). Head capsule subrectangular in dorsal view; sides convex, converging towards front. Frontal tube small but conspicuous, conical, with narrow tip, oriented anteriorly. Top of head in profile nearly straight. Antenna with 15–16 articles. Labrum wider than long; sides convex. Mandibles short and robust. Left mandible: cutting edge between apical and 1st marginal S­shaped; cutting edge between marginal teeth concave. Right mandible with two marginal teeth, about the same size and grouped together near base. Front coxa with a lateral conical projection near base. Head capsule and labrum brownish yellow; thorax and legs lighter than head capsule; tergites and sternites yellowish. Head capsule with numerous short and straight bristles of variable size; postmentum with a few short bristles near anterior margin; anterior margin of pronotum with a row of bristles; posterior margin with two bristles; tergites and sternites densely covered with bristles and fine hairs. Measurements in Table 2 .

Minor soldier ( Figs. 5 G–K). Smaller than major soldier; head narrower, with parallel sides; antenna with 15 articles; bristles more numerous on the head. Measurements in Table 2 .

Comparisons. See L. emersoni .

Worker ( Figs. 5 L– O, 13E, 14C, 15I –J, 16E). Head capsule and postclypeus with numerous bristles. Pronotum with numerous bristles on anterior lobe and a few bristles on posterior margin. Mesonotum with a line of 8 or more bristles on posterior margin. Front coxa with a conspicuous lateral conical projection near base. Antenna with 15 articles. Fontanelle large and rounded. Enteric valve with 4 finger­like ridges of unequal sizes covered with fine spines. Mixed segment with two mesenteric lobes; large lobe elongate, proximal part narrow; small lobe oval, much smaller, its proximal part very narrow. Measurements in Table 3 .

Comparisons. See L. emersoni .

Geographical distribution. Labiotermes laticephalus has been recorded from relatively few localities ( Fig. 20 ), most of them in Cerrado biome of Brazil. Torales et al. (2005) report its occurrence in northern Argentina.

Remarks. Silvestri (1903: 61) mentions two sizes of soldiers. However, the material available for this study was limited and only one sample had two distinct soldier sizes, while the others had only one size. Based on the measurements, they fall into two nonovelaping groups.

Material examined

BRAZIL. Distrito Federal. Fazenda Água Limpa: s., 01.vii.1992, M. Lima (UnB­ 1256). Goiás. Anápolis: s., w., 10.ii.1958, W.W. Kempf (MZSP­4685). Mato Grosso. Chapada dos Guimarães, Rio Manso: s., w., 12–17.v.1999, R. Constantino (UnB­1638, 1663, 1669, 1673). Cuiabá: s., w., 19.ii.1985, M. Zanuto (MPEG­2311). Santo Antônio do Leverger: s., w., 26.x.1984, J.C. Trager (MZSP­8595). Mato Grosso do Sul. Corumbá: s., w., no date, Bordi (MZSP­213). Minas Gerais. Paracatu, Fazenda Rossato: s., w., 27.x.2001, R. Constantino (UnB­3084).

head in profile. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

Figures

FIGURES 2. Labiotermes emersoni. Soldier from Minas Gerais: A, head in dorsal view; B, pronotum in dorsal view; C, head in profile; D, pronotum in posterior view; E, right front leg; F, postmentum. Soldier from Rondonia: G, head in profile. Imago: H, head in dorsal view; I, pronotum; J, head in profile; K, antenna. Worker: L, head in dorsal view; M, thorax; N, head in profile; O, right front leg. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 3. Labiotermes guasu, new species. Soldier: A, head in dorsal view; B, pronotum in dorsal view; C, pronotum in posterior view; D, head in profile; E, postmentum; F, right front leg. Worker: G, head in dorsal view; H, thorax; I, head in profile; J, right front leg. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 4. Labiotermes labralis. Soldier: A, head in dorsal view; B, head in profile. Worker: C, head in dorsal view; C, thorax; D, head in profile; E, right front leg. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 5. Labiotermes laticephalus. Large soldier: A, head in dorsal view; B, pronotum in dorsal view; C, pronotum in posterior view; D, postmentum; E, head in profile; F, right front leg. Small soldier: G, head in dorsal view; H, pronotum in dorsal view; I, pronotum in posterior view; J, head in profile; K, postmentum. Worker: L, right front leg; M, head in dorsal view; N, thorax; O,

FIGURES 20. Geographic distribution of Labiotermes laticephalus, L. guasu, new species, and L. oreadicus, new species. The double symbol indicates the respective type­locality.