Schievitermes
| Notice: | This page is derived from the original publication listed below, whose author(s) should always be credited. Further contributors may edit and improve the content of this page and, consequently, need to be credited as well (see page history). Any assessment of factual correctness requires a careful review of the original article as well as of subsequent contributions.
If you are uncertain whether your planned contribution is correct or not, we suggest that you use the associated discussion page instead of editing the page directly. This page should be cited as follows (rationale):
Citation formats to copy and paste
BibTeX: @article{Roisin2022ZooKeys1125, RIS/ Endnote: TY - JOUR Wikipedia/ Citizendium: <ref name="Roisin2022ZooKeys1125">{{Citation See also the citation download page at the journal. |
Ordo: Blattodea
Familia: Termitidae
Name
Schievitermes Roisin, 2022 gen. nov. – Wikispecies link – ZooBank link – Pensoft Profile
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 1–4): Head capsule (Figs 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) with nearly parallel sides, anterior margin sinuous, convex in middle, bearing a few long bristles, anterior corners rounded. Frons without projection.
Worker (Figs 5–9, 12–13, 15–17): Monomorphic. Head capsule whitish, bearing many setae. Mandibles (Fig. 5) 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[1]) 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, 7) of the generalized type (Noirot 2001[2]), cuticular armature limited to small pectinated scales on the pulvilli (Fig. 7). Mixed segment long, mesenteric tongue bilobate distally (Fig. 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) 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), short and often pectinated in anterior section narrowing towards P4 (Fig. 13).
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[3]; Constantino 1991[4]; Bandeira and Cancello 1992[5]). 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[6]; Almeida-Azevedo et al. 2021[7]). The enteric valve armature of Schievitermes is similar to that of Planicapritermes (Figs 10, 11), 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[2]) and the tiny spines present in Planicapritermes (Noirot 2001[2]; Fig. 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) to a broad opening through which the whole anterior part of the gut protrudes (Figs 16, 17).
Original Description
- Roisin, Y; 2022: Schievitermes globicornis, a new genus and species of Termitinae (Blattodea, Termitidae) from French Guiana ZooKeys, 1125: 103-114. doi
Images
|
Other References
- ↑ Deligne J (1999) Functional morphology and evolution of a carpenter’s plane-like tool in the mandibles of termite workers (InsectaIsoptera).Belgian Journal of Zoology129: 201–218. https://biblio.naturalsciences.be/associated_publications/bjz/129-1/bjz_129_deligne_201-218.pdf
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Noirot C (2001) The gut of termites (Isoptera). Comparative anatomy, systematics, phylogeny. II. Higher termites (Termitidae).Annales de la Société entomologique de France (Nouvelle Série)37: 431–471.
- ↑ Krishna K, Araujo R (1968) A revision of the neotropical termite genus Neocapritermes (Isoptera, Termitidae, Termitinae).Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History138: 83–130. https://digitallibrary.amnh.org/handle/2246/1107
- ↑ Constantino R (1991) Notes on Neocapritermes Holmgren, with description of two new species from the Amazon Basin (Isoptera, Termitidae, Termitinae).Goeldiana Zoologia7: 1–13. https://repositorio.museu-goeldi.br/handle/mgoeldi/346
- ↑ Bandeira A, Cancello E (1992) Four new species of termites (Isoptera, Termitidae) from the island of Maracá, Roraima, Brazil.Revista Brasileira de Entomologia36: 423–435.
- ↑ Constantino R (1998) Description of a new Planicapritermes from Central Amazonia, with notes on the morphology of the digestive tube of the Neocapritermes–Planicapritermes group (Isoptera: Termitidae: Termitinae).Sociobiology32: 109–118. [Correction (1999). Sociobiology 33: 144.]
- ↑ Almeida-Azevedo R, Azevedo R, Sobral R, Morais J (2021) First description of the worker of Planicapritermes longilabrum with notes on the nest of Planicapritermes planiceps (Blattaria: Isoptera: Termitidae).Acta Amazonica51(1): 63–66. https://doi.org/10.1590/1809-4392202000841
