Arceotermitidae Engel, 2021

JIANG, RI-XIN, ZHANG, HONG-RUI, ELDREDGE, K. TARO, SONG, XIAO-BIN, LI, YAN-DA, TIHELKA, ERIK, HUANG, DI-YING, WANG, SHUO, ENGEL, MICHAEL S. & CAI, CHEN-YANG, 2021, Further evidence of Cretaceous termitophily: Description of new termite hosts of the trichopseniine Cretotrichopsenius (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), with emendations to the classification of lower termites (Isoptera), Palaeoentomology 4 (4), pp. 374-389 : 380

Arceotermitidae Engel , fam. nov.

Type genus. Arceotermes Engel & Jiang , gen. nov.

Diagnosis. The soldiers of this group can be distinguished from those of Mastotermitidae and Archotermopsidae by the tetramerous tarsi,smaller number of antennal articles (less than 20 articles), and absence of compound eyes (although still present and reduced in Cosmotermitinae Engel , subfam. nov., vide infra) ( Figs 5 , 6 ). The head is not dorsoventrally compressed like the soldier heads of Stolotermitidae (particularly Stolotermes Hagen,1858 ).Like Mastotermitidae , the pronotum is about as wide as the head capsule, while in Archotermopsidae , Hodotermitidae , and Stolotermitidae it is narrower than the head capsule. Unlike Stolotermitidae , the right marginal teeth are broad, with the second marginal tooth possessing a distinct gnathal edge ( Fig. 6 ). The right apical tooth has a distinct constriction at its base (not merely an indentation along the outer margin but there is an actual narrowing of the mandibular diameter where the right apical tooth arises: Fig. 6 ). A subsidiary tooth is absent. Further distinguished from Stolotermitidae by the deeply incised mandibular teeth (rather than shallowly incised). Like Archotermopsidae and Stolotermitidae the pronotum is flat, and not weakly saddle-shaped as in Hodotermitidae . The tibiae lack prominent lateral spines (although there are some minute, outer, peg-like setae in Arceotermes ), as are present in Archotermopsidae . Refer to Krishna et al. (2013) for an account of basal termite families and additional characters.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Holotype of Arceotermes hospitis Engel & Jiang, gen. et sp. nov., soldier (QUST-INSECT-0015). A, Ventral view of head, green fluorescence light source. B, Ventral view of head, with white light. C, Detail of antenna, green fluorescence light source. D, Detail of antenna, white light. E, Protarsus, ventral view, green fluorescence light source. F, Protarsus, profile, green fluorescence light source. Scale bars = 1 mm in A–D; 250 μm in E and F.

FIGURE 6. Mandibular dentition of Arceotermes hospitis Engel & Jiang, gen. et sp. nov., soldier. A, Dorsal view of head. B, Ventral view of head. C, Line drawing detail of mandibular dentition; LA = left apical; LM = left marginal; RA = right apical; RM = right marginal. Scale bars = 1 mm in A and B).