Macuxitermes Cancello & Bandeira

Postle, Anthony C. & Scheffrahn, Rudolf H., 2016, A new termite (Isoptera, Termitidae, Syntermitinae, Macuxitermes) from Colombia, ZooKeys 587, pp. 21-35 : 23

Taxon classification Animalia Isoptera Termitidae

Macuxitermes Cancello & Bandeira

Description.

The genus Macuxitermes was erected for a single species, Macuxitermes triceratops Cancello & Bandeira, 1992. Their generic description is modified below to include Macuxitermes colombicus .

Soldier. Dimorphic or monomorphic.

Major soldier. Head capsule evenly rounded or with a dorsal elevation and anterior protuberance either side of the midline, entire surface covered with minute granulations. Anterior of head capsule narrows to form a robust conical nasus whose apex extends far beyond tips of mandibles; nasus well separated from mandibles in lateral view, conical, gradually tapering to apex; without setae but terminating in a circular fontanelle, the opening of which is surrounded by numerous short hairs; mandibles curved strongly inwards, apices directed laterally at rest and not upturned, each mandible with a pointed marginal tooth half-way along inner surface; width of labrum greater than length; antennae yellow with 15 articles, I largest and III shortest; rows of dark short, tooth-like spines along the margins of the thoracic nota.

Minor soldier. Known only in Macuxitermes triceratops . See Cancello and Bandeira (1992) for description.

Worker. Detailed description in Cancello and Bandeira (1992) is congruent with Macuxitermes colombicus .

Addenda: left mandible with all three marginal teeth clearly visible, molar plates with no ridges; digestive tube showing complete dorsal torsion and with small crop, long and inflated mixed segment that is proximally narrow and broadly oval distally, very large and voluminous P1 and relatively smaller P3 (with diverticulum), long P4 and large P5; two pairs of Malpighian tubules, each pair joining alimentary canal separately at junction of midgut and hindgut; enteric valve narrow, on the left posterior side of the abdomen, with three finger-like cushions each bearing two rows of regularly spaced long, narrow, straight or slightly curved spines of equal length throughout; ridges separated by pads composed of a single layer of squamous cells, each with a central, slightly raised spine marginally shorter in length than spines on cushion.