Neotermes aburiensis Sjoestedt , 1925

Onagbola, Ebenezer O. & Scheffrahn, Rudolf H., 2017, African Neotermes: redescriptions of imago and soldier castes of N. aburiensis and N. agilis (Isoptera, Kalotermitidae), ZooKeys 683, pp. 25-37 : 25

Neotermes aburiensis Sjoestedt, 1925

Neotermes aburiensis Sjöstedt 1925: 39 (soldier described; Ghana).

Neotermes aburiensis : Grassé 1937: 10-14 (imago and soldier described; Ivory Coast).

Neotermes aburiensis : Coaton 1955: 109-113 (soldier described; Congo-Zaire, Ghana, Ivory Coast).

Material examined.

NIGERIA, Ijare; 7.36, 5.17; 9 Apr 2016, E. Onagbola, UF no. AFR2965; 15 alates, nymphs, ex: dead cacao tree. Orita Obele, (OSRC Radio Station Yard), Akure; 7.29, 5.16; 29 Apr 2016 AFR2966; 5 soldiers, 13 alates, nymphs, ex: living stump of Quickstic ( Gliricidia sepiun ) tree. Bayduk Road, Akure; 7.301, 5.151, AFR2971; 1 alate, ex: spider web on house fence.

Imago (Figs 1-3, Table 1). Head with vertex and frons dark reddish-brown grading to light orange-brown at genae. Pronotum lighter than dorsum of head; anteclypeus yellowish and labrum concolorous with genae (Fig. 1). Tergites light yellowish-brown, sternites pale yellow to hyaline. Coxa and femora pale yellow, femora and tarsi contrasting light brown. Chevron pattern from overlapping wing scales and meso and meta notum slightly darker than rest of dorsum. Eyes black; ocelli and antennal articles concolorous with labrum. In dorsal view, lateral margins of head converge to anterior forming distinct trapezoidal outline; cranial sutures absent. Vertex with slight concavity, concavity becoming rugose toward anteclypeus. Eyes of medium size, slightly protruding, and weakly subtriangular. Ocelli large, elliptical, nearly touching eye. Antennae with 17-19 articles, rarely 16. Pronotum in dorsal view collar-shaped. Anterior margin of pronotum very shallowly concave; posterior margin nearly straight; pronotum wider than width of head at eyes; widest at posterior 2/5ths. Scattered long (0.25 mm), erect setae on head and pronotum with numerous short and very short setae (Fig. 2A). Tips of long setae rounded at tip; tip weakly spatulate (Fig. 2B). Costal margin, radius, radial sector, and media of forewing brown and sclerotized along their entire lengths (Fig. 3A, B). Cubitus brown just beyond suture line, with about 10 browish branches to middle of wing 3-4 hyaline branched beyond; membrane between media and cubitus with dozens of faint brown reticulations. Arolia present. Mandible dentition typical of genus; left mandible with posterior margin of first plus second marginal tooth equal to anterior margin of third marginal tooth. Right mandible with posterior margin of second marginal tooth subequal to molar plate.

Soldier (Fig. 4, Table 2). Monomorphic. In dorsal view, head capsule dark redish brown at antennae grading to light yellowish orange at occiput. Mandibles black. Three proximal antennal articles reddish brown; distal articles becoming lighter. Eye spots light yellowish brown, elongate, smaller than antennal sockets. Pronotum peripheral margins yellowish orange-brown. Postmentum chestnut; labrum concolorous with vertex. Head capsule in dorsal view, narrowly rectangular; lateral margins slightly concave, narrowing slightly in front. Posterior corners of head evenly rounded; posterior margin rectate. In lateral and oblique view, head capsule almost cylindrical with only slight dorso-ventral compression. In dorsal view, frontal flange squarely angled at 60° forming a deep cleft; in lateral or oblique views antero-lateral corners of flange with knob-like protuberences. Vertex with lateral grooves; lateral margins of vertex with distinct rails. Frons sloping from vertex ≅45°; mandibles curved upward ≅10°. Setae very short and sparse on frons and vertex. Periantennal carina developed; mandibles stout, about one-half length of head capsule; dentition well defined; left mandible with three submarginal teeth; two proximal teeth subdivided by slight concavities; right mandible with proximal tooth eclipsed by labrum; apical teeth angled ≅70°; basal humps moderate, rugose. Labrum linguiform, medium-sized, with long terminal setae. Antennae with 15 articles; third antennal article clavate, barely shorter than fourth and fifth combined. Pronotum broader than head, narrow, shield-shaped; anterior margin evenly concave; anterolateral corners acutely angled at 60°, lateral margins converging to posterior; posterior margin forming an evenly shallow convexity. All femora inflated.

Comparisons.

The spatulate-tipped setae on the head and pronotum of N. aburiensis are unique among Neotermes and possibly all Isoptera which have tappering, needle-like setae (Fig. 2C, D). The clefted frontal flange, its lateral protuberences, and sloping rugose frons form a phragmotic forehead unique among Neotermes soldiers.