Orthognathotermes macrocephalus (Holmgren)

Rocha, Mauricio Martins Da & Cancello, Eliana M., 2009, Revision of the Neotropical termite genus Orthognathotermes Holmgren (Isoptera: Termitidae: Termitinae), Zootaxa 2280, pp. 1-26 : 11

Orthognathotermes macrocephalus (Holmgren)

(figs. 15, 32)

Mirotermes macrocephalus Holmgren, 1906:42 (soldier, worker, T-U)

Orthognathotermes macrocephalus Holmgren, 1912:119 (mandibles, soldier, 84, 85)

Syntypes: NRM (soldiers and workers: NRM-no number, Mojos, Caupolican Province, Bolivia, 1904–1905, Nils Holmgren coll.), examined.

Imago. Unknown.

Soldier. Head with sides slightly convergent in front in dorsal view. In profile dorsal lump slightly salient, behind the flanges. Mandibles of the second pattern (see Material and Methods), tooth-like projection at proximal half. Head capsule with sparse bristles and short hairs, denser on ventral surface, scattered microscopic hairs on entire head capsule. Posmentum with bristles. Pronotum with short hairs and bristles on margins, mesonotum and metanotum with short hairs on posterior margins, abdominal tergites covered with short hairs and bristles, sternites with short hairs and bristles on posterior margins.

Comparisons. O. macrocephalus soldier has a head capsule smaller than all other species with the same mandible pattern. The most similar species is O. longilamina sp. nov., whose soldiers have narrower mandibles and a weak constriction on the distal portion of head.

Geographical distribution. Known only from the type-locality.