Caribitermes Roisin, 1996

Krishna, Kumar & Grimaldi, David, 2009, Diverse Rhinotermitidae and Termitidae (Isoptera) in Dominican Amber, American Museum Novitates 2009 (3640), pp. 1-48 : 39-40

Genus Caribitermes Roisin, 1996

Caribitermes was described by Roisin et al. (1996) as a monotypic genus for the species C. discolor from the West Indies, previously placed in Parvitermes . The new species described here, based on the soldier, is the first report of this genus in the fossil record.

Caribitermes hispaniola , new species

Figures 28 , 29 ; table 11

DIAGNOSIS: Caribitermes hispaniola resembles C. discolor (Banks) , a living species from the Caribbean of the hitherto monotypic genus Caribitermes , both species having the head capsule very slightly constricted behind the antennae. The genus was described based on this character, the imago mandibles, and the gut anatomy, the latter of which cannot be studied in this fossil specimen. Caribitermes hispaniola differs from C. discol- or in having a longer and wider head and nasus, fewer setae, and a longer third antennal article.

DESCRIPTION: Soldier: Head chestnut brown; antennae and legs yellowish brown; sternites and tergites dark brown. Head capsule with no setae visible; nasus with two or three short bristles at tip. In dorsal view constriction of head below antennal fossae not very prominent; head capsule below constriction round and wide in holotype specimen; in paratype specimen head not as bulbous (head width 0.79 mm vs. 0.82 in holotype); in lateral view constriction 0.51–0.53 mm from posterior margin of head; in profile vertex raised in front of constriction; nasus long and narrow, broad at base. Mandibles with points. Antennae with 13 articles; third slightly longer than fourth; fourth shorter than second or third. Pronotum saddle-shaped; anterior margin arched; sides angular; posterior margin faintly emarginate.

SPECIMENS: Soldier (holotype) AMNH DR15-1256 A. Paratype AMNH No. DR15- 1256B (in same pieces as holotype).

ETYMOLOGY: This new species named after the island of Hispaniola ( Dominican Republic and Haiti).

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. 29. Caribitermes hispaniola, n. sp. soldiers in Dominican amber, AMNH DR15-1256, pieces A and B, showing locations of soldier a (head shown in figs. C, D) and soldier b (shown in figs. E, F). Figs. C, E. head in dorsal view. D, F. Head in lateral view.