Dentispicotermes trapezia, Scheffrahn, 2024

Scheffrahn, Rudolf H., 2024, Dentispicotermes trapezia (Isoptera: Termitidae: Amitermitinae), a new termite species from the Pantanal-Chaco Region of South America, Zootaxa 5536 (3), pp. 447-453 : 448-452

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5536.3.4
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BB158B15-5307-4E60-956C-BCD16904266B
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/6B76272A-FF92-FFBD-FF3C-5D6FFA0AFBA3
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Dentispicotermes trapezia
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Dentispicotermes trapezia sp. nov.

Dentispicotermes sp. nov. 2, Issa & Scheffrahn 2020 fig. 3.

Dentispicotermes n. sp. 2, Hellemans et al. 2024 fig. 1. GenBank accession no. OL875049.1

Imago. Unknown.

Soldier ( Figs. 1 View FIGURE 1 , 2 View FIGURE 2 , 6 View FIGURE 6 ). Head capsule in dorsal view ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 ) narrowing toward anterior, anterolateral corners with stubby knobs; very slight constriction in posterior third; posterior margin evenly convex. In lateral view ( Fig. 1B View FIGURE 1 ) head ellipsoid with steep frontal protuberance behind antennal sockets; frontal protuberance narrowly trapezoidal ( Fig. 2A View FIGURE 2 ) and conical in anterior ( Fig. 2B View FIGURE 2 ) and posterior view ( Fig. 1D View FIGURE 1 ).

Frontal protuberance with tiny wart-like bump near middle of posterior margin ( Fig. 2A View FIGURE 2 ) and two curved setae on either side near summit ( Fig. 2B View FIGURE 2 ); summit without opening. Postmentum extending below genae, but not excessively so. Head capsule with pair of long straight setae on vertex behind protuberance and pair projecting laterally anterior to constriction. Four straight setae on submentum. Mandibles symmetrical, nearly straight with slight bend near bases; apical hooks about one-seventh of mandible lengths. Each mandible with triangular marginal teeth about two fifths length from hooks in lateral view when in resting position ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 ). Thorax and anterior two thirds of abdomen filled with yellow defensive secretion. Antennae with 14 articles, or 15 if third subdivided, article formulae 2>3=4<5 or 2>3=4≤5; Tibial spur formula: 2:2:2.

Measurements. Head capsule length to postclypeus (mm) 1.59, 1.50; left mandible length to ventral condyle 1.54, 1.52; right mandible length to ventral condyle 1.53, 1.52; head width at antennal socket 1.06, 1.05; max. head width 1.30, 1.35; max. head capsule height (postmentum to protuberance) 1.25, 1.17; protuberance height from plane of vertex 0.25, 0.25; max. postmentum width 0.20, 0.19; max. postmentum height, 0.16, 0.16; max. pronotum width, 0.81, 0.78.

Worker ( Figs. 3–6 View FIGURE 3 View FIGURE 4 View FIGURE 5 View FIGURE 6 ). Monomorphic. Abdomen subspherical in dorsal view ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 , 6 View FIGURE 6 ); integument transparent covered with hundreds of long setae. Postclypeus fully inflated in lateral view ( Fig. 3D View FIGURE 3 ). Pronotum angled ca.100º with anterior lobe larger than posterior; about 8–10 long setae along lobe margins. Tibial spur formula: 2:2:2. Fontanelle barely visible. Head capsule covered with sparse long setae. Antennae with 14 articles, or 15 if third subdivided.

Digestive tube with spherical and large crop developed; mixed segment with narrow mesenteric tongue ( Fig. 4A–C View FIGURE 4 ); P1 forming a semicircular tube from MS to P2 insertion; P3 large and globous in ventral view ( Fig. 4C View FIGURE 4 ) dorsal lobe exiting and partially surrounded by P4; P4 long and narrow. Enteric valve armature ( Fig. 5B View FIGURE 5 ) composed of six anterior and three posterior cushions. Posterior cushions with small spines becoming larger entering gut lumen.Anterior cushions project into gut lumen, finger-like; composed of fleshy outer lobes and inner ridges, ridges with each with about 100 thorny spines. Mandibles of soil-feeding type ( Fig. 5A View FIGURE 5 ). Left mandible with apical tooth twice the size of M1+2, separated by acute angle; a sinuous margin between M1+2 and M3, M3 much smaller than M1+2; molar prominence without ridges, projecting. Right mandible with apical tooth more than twice the size of M1, M2 much smaller than M1, molar plate without ridges and very concave.

Measurements. Length of head with postclypeus (n=10, min.-max., mean mm) 0.74–0.86, 0.80; max. head width 0.81–0.91, 0.87; length of hind tibia 0.86–0.96, 0.90.

Etymology. “Trapezia” refers to the trapezoidal shape of the frontal protuberance in lateral view.

Diagnosis. Soldiers of D. trapezia sp. nov. are unique among congeners in having a steep frontal protuberance that is narrowly trapezoidal in lateral view and its posterior margin is angled about 60° from plane of the vertex. Dentispicotermes trapezia sp. nov. is closest to D. globicephalus but the protuberance in the latter is triangular in lateral view and its posterior margin is angled about 30° from plane of the vertex. The D. trapezia sp. nov. worker gut and EVA is very similar to other species that I have examined: D. brevicarinatus and D. cupiporanga ( Scheffrahn 2019) .

Key to Dentispicotermes View in CoL soldiers

1 Mandibles without marginal teeth ( Emerson 1950, fig. 4)......................................... D. brevicarinatus View in CoL

- Mandibles with marginal teeth........................................................................... 2

2 Apical hook about one-third length of entire mandible.............................................. D. pantanalis View in CoL

- Apical hook about one-seventh length of entire mandible ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 ).............................................. 3

3 Right and left marginal teeth offset ( Issa & Scheffrahn 2020, fig. 1)................................. D. cupiporanga View in CoL

- Right and left marginal teeth in-line ( Constantino 1999, fig. 151)................................................ 4

4 Protuberance shallow; projecting about one-eighth height of head at vertex ( Araujo 1969, fig. 3)............. D. conjunctus View in CoL

- Protuberance steeper; projecting more than one sixth height of head at vertex ( Fig. 1B View FIGURE 1 ).............................. 5

5 Protuberance triangular in lateral view, posterior margin angled about 30° from plane of vertex ( Constantino 1999, fig. 150)....................................................................................... D. globicephalus View in CoL

- Protuberance steep, narrowly trapezoidal in lateral view, posterior margin angled about 60° from plane of vertex ( Fig. 2A View FIGURE 2 )...................................................................................... .. D. trapezia sp. nov.