Schedorhinotermes longirostris (Brauer, 1866)

Bourguignon, Thomas & Roisin, Yves, 2011, Revision of the termite family Rhinotermitidae (Isoptera) in New Guinea, ZooKeys 148, pp. 55-103 : 73-76

Schedorhinotermes longirostris (Brauer, 1866) Figs 68-7482

Termes longirostris Brauer 1866: 47.

Rhinotermes ( Schedorhinotermes ) longirostris (Brauer). Holmgren 1913: 86.

Schedorhinotermes longirostris (Brauer). Snyder 1949: 93.

Rhinotermes dimorphus Desneux 1905: 368. syn. n.

Rhinotermes ( Schedorhinotermes ) dimorphus Desneux. Holmgren 1911a: 458.

Schedorhinotermes dimorphus (Desneux). Snyder 1949: 90.

Material examined.

Syntypes, minor soldier and workers:INDIA: Nicobar Islands: Kondul Island (NHRS). Syntypes of Schedorhinotermes dimorphus , major soldiers, minor soldiers and workers:PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Madang: Madang (as Friedrich-Wilhelmshafen), 8.i.1901 (L. Biró) (IRSNB). Other material: PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Sandaun: Vanimo, 08.iii.1994 (YR & ML) (#PNGT1718); East Sepik: Marangis, 07.iii.1983 (JMP & YR) (#PNGT253); Madang: Road Madang-Lae km 30, 04.vii.1981 (JMP) (#PNGT120, 121); Bunapas road, 07.vii.1981 (JMP) (#PNGT132, 141); Potsdam plantation, 23.iii.1983 (YR) (#PNGT275); Nubia, 18.v.1983 (YR) (#PNGT353), Potsdam plantation, 20.vi.1983 (YR) (#PNGT386); Bunapae, 25.x.1983 (YR) (#PNGT415); Sepen No.1, 29.x.1983 (YR) (#PNGT425); Potsdam plantation, 25.xi.1983 (YR), with nymphs (#PNGT479); Bunapae, 12.vi.1984 (YR) (#PNGT680); Potsdam plantation, 20.vii.1984 (YR) (#PNGT743); Bunapae, 23.vii.1984 (YR) (#PNGT748); Potsdam plantation, 24.vii.1984 (YR) (#PNGT753); Hansa point, 22.viii.1984 (YR) (#PNGT786); Hansa point, 08.ix.1984 (YR) (#PNGT823); Sepen No.1, 16.ii.1985 (JMP & YR), with alates (#PNGT876); Sepen No.1, 01.iii.1988 (YR) (#PNGT1165, 1166); Yagaum hospital, 10.iv.1983 (YR) (#PNGT304); Gilagil River bridge, 12.iii.1988 (YR) (#PNGT1170); Baitabag, 15.v.1999 (L. Čižek) (#2, J. Šobotník’s collection); Tabobo, 07.i.1989 (ML) (#PNGT1383); Road Kausi-Bundi, 07.v.1988 (YR) (#PNGT1207); Bundi, 10.v.1988 (YR) (#PNGT1210); Morobe: Wampit, 06.ii.1983 (JMP & YR) (#PNGT178); Kaiapit, 19.ii.1983 (JMP & YR) (#PNGT192); Sirasira, 15.v.1988 (YR) (#PNGT1219, 1220). Bulolo, 14.ii.1983 (JMP & YR) (#PNGT168); Mount Susu, 23.v.1987 (YR), in branch of klinkii pine on the ground (#PNGT1085); Mount Susu, 19.v.1988 (YR), in branch of klinkii pine on the ground (#PNGT1233); Oro: Kokoda, 13.iii.1985 (JMP & YR), in tree stump in cocoa plantation (#PNGT949); Koiasi, 14.iii.1985 (JMP & YR) (#PNGT957); Kokoda, 19.iii.1985 (JMP & YR), in dead wood in rubber plantation (#PNGT987); East New Britain: Warengoi, 19.v.1984 (JMP & YR) (#PNGT561); Ataliklikun Bay, 30 km W of Keravat, 23.v.1984 (JMP & YR) (#PNGT595); New Ireland: Lelet plateau, 27.v.1984 (JMP & YR) (#PNGT609, 610); Konos, 29.v.1984 (JMP & YR) (#PNGT623); Manus: Road Lorengau-Yiringo km 32, 04.vi.1984 (JMP & YR) (#PNGT659); Central: Sogeri area, 23.xi.1962 (AE), 2 samples with alates, from logs in rubber grove (AMNH); Sirinumu Dam, 06.iii.1985 (JMP & YR) (#PNGT913); Sirinumu Dam, 08.iii.1985 (JMP & YR) (#PNGT926, 931); Southern Highlands: Lake Kutubu, 11.x.1988 (YR) (#PNGT1287, 1288); Pimaga, 16.x.1988 (YR) (#PNGT1304); Fly: Tabubil, 20.v.1990 (YR & ML) (#PNGT1548); Lake Murray, 22.v.1990 (YR & ML) (#PNGT1557); Lake Murray, 24.v.1990 (YR & ML) (#PNGT1583); Nomad, 31.v.1990 (YR & ML) (#PNGT1626). INDONESIA: Papua: Road Nabire-Mapia km 43, 26.xi.1995 (YR) (#IRJT168); Kaimana, 21.xi.1995 (YR), three samples, the last one with large nymphs (#IRJT103, 109, 113); Kaimana, 23.xi.1995 (YR) (#IRJT142).

New synonymy.

We compared the type material of Schedorhinotermes longirostris and Schedorhinotermes dimorphus with our material and were not able to find any relevant morphological characters to distinguish the two species. Therefore, we consider Schedorhinotermes dimorphus as a junior synonym of Schedorhinotermes longirostris .

Imago.

(Fig. 68). Head covered by 10-15 setae. Eyes of medium size. Pronotum covered by about 50 setae mainly located on the edges. Antennae with 20 articles. Measurements (mm) of 6 imagoes from 1 colony: TBL: 7.39-8.79; HLC: 1.37-1.58; HWE: 1.51-1.62; PL: 0.73-0.79; PW: 1.23-1.36; FWL: 8.70-9.80; ED: 0.31-0.33.

Major soldier.

(Figs 69, 71-72). Soldiers of small size. Head, excluding labrum, square-shaped, slightly longer than wide, covered by about 10 setae. Labrum slightly longer than wide, reaching the tip of mandibles. Antennae with 15 or 16 articles. Pronotum covered by 6 long setae disposed in each corners. Mesonotum and metanotum with 4 long setae. Abdomen with 6 long setae per segment, plus sometimes 1 or 2 smaller ones. Mandibles strongly curved at tip with short subsidiary teeth. Left mandible with 2 subsidiary teeth of the same length. Right mandible without hump at the basis. Measurements (mm) of 1 major soldier from the type colony of Schedorhinotermes longirostris , 2 major soldiers from the type colony of Schedorhinotermes dimorphus [brackets], and 77 major soldiers from 29 colonies (parentheses): HLC: 1.56 [1.50-1.56] (1.35-1.95); HLL: 2.05 [1.92-1.99] (1.65-2.21); HW: 1.32 [1.31-1.35] (1.17-1.51); PW: 0.74 [0.73-0.75] (0.65-0.86); RML: 0.98 [0.89-0.97] (0.75-1.06); mPW: 0.25 [0.24] (0.19-0.30); T3L: 1.19 [1.09-1.16] (1.11-1.36).

Minor soldier.

(Figs 70, 73-74). Soldiers of small size. Head elongated, covered by 5-10 setae. Labrum very elongated, 3 times longer than wide, reaching beyond mandibles. Fronto-clypeus of medium size. Antennae with 15 or 16 articles. Pronotum covered by 6 large setae disposed in each corner. Mesonotum and metanotum with 4 long setae. Abdomen with 6 long setae per segment, plus sometimes 1 or 2 smaller ones. Mandibles elongated, hardly curved, with short subsidiary teeth. Measurements (mm) of 10 minor soldiers from 10 colonies of Schedorhinotermes longirostris , plus 6 minor soldiers of the type colony of Schedorhinotermes dimorphus [brackets]: HLC: 0.82-1.05 [0.90-0.94]; HLL: 1.18 -1.54 [1.30-1.37]; HW: 0.60-0.77 [0.66-0.69]; PL: 0.28-0.36 [0.30-0.33]; PW: 0.40-0.53 [0.44-0.51]; RML: 0.52-0.70 [0.51-0.64]; MPW: 0.25-0.31 [0.24-0.28]; T3L: 0.74-0.94 [0.71-0.87].

Comparisons.

This species can be distinguished from other New Guinean species by the number of setae on the pronotum (6 per segment), mesonotum (4), metanotum (4) and abdomen (6) in the major soldier caste.

Distribution.

(Fig. 82).This species is common in forested areas throughout New Guinea. It probably also occurs in Indonesia, since it was described from the Nicobar islands.

Termitophiles.

Several Aleocharinae ( Coleoptera , Staphylinidae ) were found with this species. Schedotermoecia kaimanensis ( Coptotermoeciina ) was described from colony #IRJT142, and its congener Schedotermoecia papuana from #PNGT1165 ( Bourguignon and Roisin 2006). The following Trichopseniini also occur with this species: Schedolimulus elongatus , Schedotermoecia planus and Schedotermoecia minutides Bourguignon, nomen novum (here proposed as replacement name for Schedotermoecia minutus Bourguignon, 2007, to remove secondary homonymy with Phorilimulus minutus Pasteels & Kistner, 1971, transferred to Schedolimulus by Kanao et al. 2011).