Termitozophilus belleae, Zilberman, 2019

Zilberman, Bruno, 2019, Synopsis of the genus Termitozophilus Silvestri (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae, Corotocini), Zootaxa 4614 (1), pp. 95-116 : 105-110

Termitozophilus belleae sp. nov.

HOLOTYPE. Brazil. Mato Grosso: Cuiabá (Estrada Cuiabá – P. [Porto] Velho), 15/II/1976, R. [Renato] L. [Lion] Araujo col. ( MZSP 21228 / [alternative label 21228-H]), host, Cornitermes silvestrii ( MZSP 6759 ), female in alcohol ; PARATYPES. same data of holotype, 12 specimens (2 females and 1 male dissected in slides,) ( MZSP 21228 ) .

Body moderately physogastric and strongly sclerotized; sclerotized areas mostly dark brown to black; sides of abdomen, tarsi and antennae brown; narrow posterior band of pronotum black. Sclerotized areas densely covered with long spine-like bristles (figs. 29–36). Female - length ~2.7 mm (abdomen shrunk), male - length ~2.3 mm (abdomen shrunk)

Head. Elongate, slightly longer than large, widest at ¾ anterior region of head and slightly narrowed on posterior 1/4; length of eyes occupying 1/3 of total head length; one setae behind each eye and a pair in medialposterior region of vertex (figs. 37, 38, 57). Antennae: scape slighter longer than any other antenommere; antennomeres II–X elongate, gradually decreasing in length; antennomere XI about twice longer than wide, slightly longer than IX ( Fig. 39 , 60 ). Mouthparts. Labrum more than twice larger than long; five main long bristles on each side, distributed in two diagonal rows, each with two bristles (D2 - D1/ M2 - M1) and one bristle (P1) alone placed at middle of labrum length; epipharynx covered with sensilla and numerous short setae (figs. 43, 62). Mandibles with broad tooth in mesal median region; apical region broad in females and narrow in males (figs. 44, 45). Maxillae: galea elongate, slightly larger than lacinia, with small bristles at margins; lacinia narrow, as long as galea; palpomeres moderated sclerotized: II and IV elongate, III suboval (fig. 42). Labium with ligula widest at base with apex emarginated, resulting in two lobes (fig. 41); mentum and submentum fused, with two bristles on each side: pre-apical (pa) and proximal (px) (figs. 40, 64).

Thorax. Elytra trapezoidal covered with long bristles (fig. 48). Hind wings vestigial, with indistinct nervure.

Abdomen dorsal and ventral sclerites occupying almost whole abdominal segments, leaving only a few of membrane exposed; secondary sclerotization of tergites reaching inner paratergite margin; outer paratergites close to margin of sternites due to the latter secondary sclerotization; inner paratergites with two rows each with three to six bristles (figs. 29–36); tergite I represented by a moderated sclerotized sclerite attached to metanotum, with median region slightly projected backwards (fig. 47); tergite VIII about twice as wide as long, with two rows, each with six main long bristles at median and apical regions; short bristles and pores cover whole surface (fig. 49); sternite IX in male in one piece of irregular shape, moderately sclerotized, with two bristles on apical region; in female, sternite IX is presented in a pair of hemiesternite laterally attached to tergite IX; tergite IX with six long bristles (fig. 51).

Etymology. The specific epithet is patronymic, in honor of my fiancée, Isabelle Amorim.

Remarks. Termitozophilus belleae is similar to T. laetus in the shape of antennomeres IV–X, which are filiform; head, with one bristle behind each eye, as well a pair of bristles in posterior region of head; length of eyes is about 1/3 of total head length; and ligula is bifid. Termitozophilus belleae is similar to T. mirandus in the dark color of sclerites and the trapezoidal shape of elytra.

The differences, between Termitozophilus belleae as well as T. laetus , and T. mirandus , are related to the host and locality. Termitozophilus belleae and T. laetus are found in association with species of Cornitermes living in Cerrado, and T. mirandus is found with Cornitermes pugnax , occurring in forests.

Termitozophilus belleae may be distinguished from T. laetus , by integument mostly dark brown, widest region of head in basal region, clos to foramen magnum, presence of strong secondary sclerotization of tergites, long spine-like bristles and trapezoidal shape of elytra. In addition, T. laetus has a very elongate antennomere XI, which is about three times longer than wide.

The absence of suture separating mentum-submentum in Termitozophilus belleae is unique in the genus, a possible convergent character shared with the other Corotocini groups. Since specimens of T. mirandus were not available for dissection, I propose to revise description of the genus provided in Seevers’s (1957) monograph.

Additional differences between Termitozophilus belleae and T. laetus are the position of bristle P2 on labrum, which is placed before middle of labrum length in T. belleae and after the middle in T. laetus ; chaetotaxy of mentum is composed of bristles pa and px in T. belleae and ap, pa and px in T. laetus ; chaetotaxy of tergite IX, is composed of six bristles in T. belleae . and five in T. laetus ; and tergite VIII is about twice wider than long in T. belleae , and subquadrate in T. laetus .

In Termitozophilus belleae wings were absent. The presence or absence of wings in genera of Corotocini needs to be reexamine. In genus Corotoca Schiødte, 1853 (Corotocina) , there are some species with wings developed and other with wings reduced, as discussed in a previous paper ( Zilberman, 2018). In the genus Thyreoxenus Mann, 1923 , Jacobson et al. (1986) stated that the wings were present, but in the original description of the genus, Mann (1923) observed that in Thyreoxenus pulchellus Mann, 1923 , the wings were absent (confirmed here).

Figures

FIGURES 37–45. Termitozophilus belleae sp. nov. 37, 38, head (ventral dorsal); 39, antenna; 40, pos-mentum; 41, prementum; 42, maxilla; 43, labrum; 44, 35, left and right mandibles (female, male). Scale bars: 0.05 mm, except figs. 37-38 = 0.1 mm, 39 = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 58–60. Antennae: 58, Termitozophilus laetus Silvestri, 1901; 59, Termitozophilus mirandus (Mann, 1923); 60, Termitozophilus belleae sp. nov. Scale bars = 0.5 mm, except fig. 60 = 0.1 mm.