Isognathotermes gaigei ( Emerson, 1928 )

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 : 176-177

Isognathotermes gaigei ( Emerson, 1928)

Figs 58–59

Revised herein as junior synonym of I. planifrons .

Mirotermes ( Cubitermes) gaigei Emerson, 1928: 516–517 , fig. 59.

Cubitermes gaigei – Snyder 1949: 159. – Ruelle 1992: 501. — Krishna et al. 2013: 1923. — Josens & Deligne 2019: 60 .

Isognathotermes gaigei – Hellemans et al. 2021: 233.

Junior synonym of Isognathotermes planifrons (Sjöstedt, 1924) . Syn. nov.

Etymology

In the original description, Emerson (1928: 517) stated: “I have named the species in honor of Dr F. M. Gaige, through whose courtesy I was allowed to study the Cameroon collections included in this report.”

Historical review

Emerson (1928: 516–517) described this species under the name Mirotermes ( Cubitermes) gaigei . He provided a description (with measurements and figures) of soldier together with a few measurements of the worker. He considered that the species was very close to C. loubetsiensis , and a little larger than C. fungifaber ; he mentioned some differences with other species.

Snyder (1949: 159) catalogued C. gaigei in the sub-family Termitinae .

This is one of the species that Ruelle (1992: 501) called “forgotten species”.

Krishna et al. (2013: 1923) housed C. gaigei 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 .

Two subsamples have been examined (see Isognathotermes planifrons, DJ 0274 and DJ 0288). Krishna et al. (2013: 1923) mention that another subsample is deposited in UMMZ: holotype (soldier), not examined.

Isonathotermes gaigei has a morphology that matches well that of I. planifrons and was collected in the same type of ecosystem; therefore, I. gaigei ( Emerson, 1928) is from now on considered a junior synonym of Isognathotermes planifrons (Sjöstedt, 1924) .