Isognathotermes speciosus (Sjöstedt, 1924)

Josens, Guy, Deligne, Jean, Harry, Myriam, Roy, Virginie, Akama, Pierre D., Coulibaly, Tenon, Dosso, Kanvaly, Goergen, Georg, Hasson, Michel, Kasangij, Patrick Kasangij A, Kifukieto, Carmel, Ru, Bruno Le, Loko, Laura Estelle Yêyinou, Ndiaye, Abdoulaye Baila, Roisin, Yves, Sion, Noémie, Šobotnik, Jan, Stiblik, Petr, Kuenda, Soki Kue Di, Traoré, Saran, Viage, Manuela, Wango, Solange Patricia, Kaymak, Esra, Bourguignon, Thomas & Hellemans, Simon, 2025, An integrative revision of the genus Isognathotermes (Termitidae: Cubitermitinae) with description of seven new species and four new subspecies, European Journal of Taxonomy 1024, pp. 1-197 : 183-184

Isognathotermes speciosus (Sjöstedt, 1924)

Figs 39–41

Revised herein as junior synonym of I. finitimus .

Cubitermes speciosus Sjöstedt, 1924b: 256 .

Cubitermes speciosus – Sjöstedt 1926: 242–243, table 10 m. — Snyder 1949: 164. — Bouillon & Vincke 1971: 269. — Krishna et al. 2013: 1937. — Williams 1966: 102–104, figs 13, 29, 45, 61, 79. — Josens & Deligne 2019: 61 .

Isognathotermes speciosus – Hellemans et al. 2021: 233.

Junior synonym of Isognathotermes finitimus ( Schmitz, 1916) . Syn. nov.

Etymology

The epithet speciosus means ‘beautiful, superb’ in Latin.

Historical review

Sjöstedt (1924b: 256) briefly described the soldier of this species under the name Cubitermes speciosus , mentioning that it is close to the soldier of C. fungifaber but larger.

Two years later Sjöstedt (1926: 242–243) provided a first description of alate imago and worker together with additional information on soldier. He included (1926: 218–225) C. speciosus in imagines’ and soldiers’ keys of Cubitermes species and inserted it in a “ fungifaber -Gruppe” of species with a not protruding soldier’s frons.

Snyder (1949: 164) catalogued C. speciosus in the sub-family Termitinae .

Williams (1966: 102–104) provided a detailed redescription of imago and soldier along with measurements and numerous figures.

Bouillon & Vincke (1971: 269) described the enteric valve of C. speciosus as belonging to the “simple type ” without any spatula.

Krishna et al. (2013: 1937) housed C. speciosus in the sub-family Cubitermitinae .

Josens & Deligne (2019: 42–44) placed this species within the finitimus valve pattern group.

Hellemans et al. (2021: 233) placed this species in the restored genus Isognathotermes .

One type sample has been examined (see Isognathotermes finitimus, DJ 0061). Krishna et al. (2013: 1937) mention that other syntype samples are deposited in AMNH and PPRI (not examined). As the type material of Isognathotermes speciosus (Sjöstedt, 1924) matches well Isognathotermes finitimus ( Schmitz, 1916) and come from the same forested environment, they are from now on considered as synonyms.