Subulitermes Holmgren, 1910

Krishna, Kumar & Grimaldi, David, 2009, Diverse Rhinotermitidae and Termitidae (Isoptera) in Dominican Amber, American Museum Novitates 2009 (3640), pp. 1-48 : 36-39

Genus Subulitermes Holmgren, 1910

The genus Subulitermes , treated today in a more restricted sense than that of Snyder (1949) and Emerson (1955), presently consists of six living species from the Neotropical Region. The distribution is very similar to that of Atlantitermes , with only one species report- ed from the West Indies, also from the subcontinental island of Trinidad (table 1). Species of Subulitermes are tropical soil dwellers, feeding on soil rich in humus. No fossil species of this genus has been hitherto reported. The two new fossil species described here are the first record of this genus, living or fossil, from Hispaniola.

Subulitermes insularis , new species

Figure 27 ; table 10

DIAGNOSIS: Subulitermes insularis differs from S. hispaniola , n. sp., in having smaller eyes, a wider head, a wider pronotum with angular sides and posterior margin almost straight.

DESCRIPTION: Imago: Head and pronotum brown; postclypeus lighter than head; wings light brown, membrane clear. Head densely covered with short setae; pronotum densely covered with short setae, longer setae along margins; anterior margin of forewing with a row of short setae; wing membrane with dotlike punctations. Head longer than wide. Eyes small, round, bulging. Ocelli ovalish, very close (0.03 mm) to eyes. Fontanelle not clearly visible, apparently narrow and oblong; located between eyes, about 0.23 mm from posterior margin of head. Postclypeus arched; length less than half its width (length to width index 0.37). Mandible dentition visible, Subulitermes - type (see Ahmad, 1950: fig. 11). Antennae with 15 articles; second article longer than third or fourth; third subequal to fourth. Pronotum narrower than head; anterior margin straight; lateral margins narrowing posteriorly at an angle; posterior margin faintly emarginate.

SPECIMEN: Holotype (imago) AMNH DR8- 332 .

ETYMOLOGY: This new species name is based on insular, referring to the island origin.

Subulitermes hispaniola , new species

Figure 27 ; table 10

DIAGNOSIS: Subulitermes hispaniola differs from S. insularis , n. sp., in having larger eyes, a narrower head, narrower forewings, and a narrower pronotum, with its posterolateral corners more broadly rounded and its posterior margin with a medial indentation.

DESCRIPTION: Imago: Head and pronotum reddish brown; postclypeus light brown, lighter than head; antennae brownish; wings light brown, membrane clear. Head densely covered with short setae; pronotum densely covered with short setae, longer setae along margins; anterior margin of forewing with a row of short setae; wing membrane with dotlike punctations. Head longer than wide. Eyes small, ovalish, bulging. Ocelli oval, 0.05 mm from eyes. Fontanelle oval; about 0.31 mm from posterior margin of head. Postclypeus arched; length less than half its width (length to width index 0.39). Mandible dentition visible, Subulitermes type ( Ahmad, 1950: fig. 11). Antennae with 15 articles; second longer than third or fourth; third subequal to fourth. Pronotum narrower than head; anterior margin undulating, with a faint median projection; posterolateral corners rounded; posterior margin with a distinct medial indentation.

TABLE 10 Measurements (mm) of imagoes of two new species of Subulitermes

SPECIMEN: Holotype (imago) AMNH DR8- 341 .

ETYMOLOGY: This new species name is derived directly from the island of origin.

NASUTITERMITINAE SOLDIERS

Four new species of nasutitermitines are described below based on the soldiers, which, with two other Dominican amber species described previously ( Nasutitermes electronasutus Krishna and Constrictotermes electroconstrictus Krishna ), brings to six the total of nasutitermitine species in Dominican amber known from soldiers. The two species of Nasutitermes described on the basis of soldiers may be synonymous with two of the six species of this genus described from imagoes. The other four species of nasute soldiers belong to the genera Caribitermes , Constrictotermes , Parvitermes , and Velocitermes , so it is unlikely that any of these species are synonymous with any described species since imagoes of these genera are as yet unknown in Dominican amber.

Nasutitermes rotundicephalus , new species

Figures 28 , 30 ; table 11

DIAGNOSIS: Nasutitermes rotundicephalus has a much longer, wider, and more rounded head compared to N. electronasutus Krishna , the only soldier of Nasutitermes hitherto known from the fossil record.

DESCRIPTION: Soldier: Head chestnut brown; antennae, pronotum, and legs yellowish. Head with two long setae at base of nasus; four or five shorter setae at tip of nasus; tergites and sternites with very few short setae. Head dorsally viewed very wide and round behind nasus; posterior margin widely concave; nasus at base wide; dorsal margin of head in profile faintly sloping toward tip of nasus. Mandibles with short points. Antennae with 13 articles; third longer than second or fourth; second subequal to fourth. Pronotum saddle shaped; anterior margin with slight indentation in middle; posterior margin almost straight.

SPECIMEN: Soldier (holotype) AMNH DR- 10-1789 .

ETYMOLOGY: This new species name is a combination of Latin rotundus, ‘‘round’’, and Latin cephalus (borrowed from Greek), ‘‘head’’.

Figures

Fig. 27. Heads and pronota (dorsal views) with details of visible portions of mandibles of Subulitermes spp. in Dominican amber; both are holotypes. A. S. hispaniola, n. sp., AMNH DR8-341. B. S. insularis, n. sp., AMNH DR8-332.

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.