Parvitermes Emerson, 1949

Krishna, Kumar & Grimaldi, David, 2009, Diverse Rhinotermitidae and Termitidae (Isoptera) in Dominican Amber, American Museum Novitates 2009 (3640), pp. 1-48 : 39

Genus Parvitermes Emerson, 1949

The genus Parvitermes consists of nine living species, all from the West Indies. Of these eight, six are from Hispaniola exclusively (table 1). Parvitermes species are tropicalforest soil dwellers and feed on soil rich in humus. The new species described here, based on the soldier, is the first species of this genus known for the fossil record.

Parvitermes longinasus , new species

Figures 28 , 30 ; table 11

DIAGNOSIS: Parvitermes longinasus differs from all the living species of Parvitermes in having a long nasus and the constriction behind the head not as prominent.

DESCRIPTION: Soldier: Head chestnut brown; antennae and tergites brown; legs yellowish brown. Head with four setae at base of nasus, two behind constriction, a few shorter setae at tip of nasus. Head slightly constricted behind antennal fossae; in profile vertex raised in front of constriction; sides of head round behind constriction; in lateral view constriction 0.66 mm from posterior margin of head; nasus long, wide at base. Antennae with 13 articles; third longest, almost double the length of second; second subequal to fourth. Pronotum saddle shaped; slight indentation in middle; posterior margin straight.

SPECIMEN: Soldier (holotype) AMNH DR15- 1255 .

ETYMOLOGY: This new species name is a combination of the root of Latin longus, ‘‘long’’, and nasus, ‘‘nose’’.

Figures

Fig. 28. Photomicrographs of Nasutitermitinae soldiers in Dominican amber. A. Caribitermes hispaniola, n. sp., AMNH DR15-1256A. B. Parvitermes longinasus, n. sp., AMNH DR15-1255. C. Nasutitermes rotundicephalus, n. sp., AMNH DR10-1789. D. Velocitermes bulbus, n. sp., AMNH DR15-1257.

Fig. 30. Heads in dorsal and lateral views of nasutitermitine soldiers in Dominican amber.