Rustitermes boteroi, a new genus and species of soldierless termites (Blattodea, Isoptera, Apicotermitinae) from South America

Abstract

We present the description of a new genus and species of soldierless termites from South America. Rustitermes boteroi Constantini, Castro & Scheffrahn, gen. et sp. nov. can be identified by the morphology of the enteric valve, with six slightly asymmetric cushions, each one forming a central pouch made of scales smaller than those between the cushions. The new genus features two characteristic rows of thick bristles on the interior margin of the fore tibia, and is supported by COI molecular sequence data. This species is distributed from Tobago to northern Argentina.

Chasitermes pax, a new genus and species of soldierless termite (Termitidae, Apicotermitinae) from the island of Trinidad

“…Fontes (1992) provided the first identification key for workers of these five genera. The descriptions of Longustitermes (Bourguignon et al 2010), Compositermes (Scheffrahn 2013), Amplucrutermes, Humutermes, Hydrecotermes, Patawatermes, and Rubeotermes (Bourguignon et al 2016a), Disjunctitermes (Scheffrahn et al 2017), Echinotermes and Rustitermes (Castro et al 2018(Castro et al , 2020 and, for now, Tonsuritermes and Dissimulitermes (Constantini et al 2018(Constantini et al , 2020 have expanded the defined diversity of neotropical soldierless taxa.…”

Compendium of neotropical termite genera: morphology and ecology database, ontology and applicability

“…Structure Character Higher level structure imago hairs position: along anterior and posterior borders; density: dense hind wigs Genus Rustitermes Constantini, Castro & Scheffrahn 2020 Etymology: name: Rustitermes boteroi, refer: named in honor of the Colombian artist Fernando Botero (Castro et al, 2020).…”

“…Nesting: hypogeous, wood (Castro et al, 2020). Feeding: wood (Castro et al, 2020). Distribution: Argentina; Bolivia; Brazil; Ecuador; French Guiana; Paraguay; Peru; Trinidad and Tobago; Venezuela (Castro et al, 2020;Constantino, 2016).…”

“…Feeding: wood (Castro et al, 2020). Distribution: Argentina; Bolivia; Brazil; Ecuador; French Guiana; Paraguay; Peru; Trinidad and Tobago; Venezuela (Castro et al, 2020;Constantino, 2016). Genus Tetimatermes Fontes 1986 Etymology: name: Tetima, language: Tupi, refer: the name is intended to remember the development of the worker foretibia, remarkably adapted for digging, meaning: leg (Fontes, 1986).…”

“…37: Morphological characters of the genus Rustitermes extracted from the database according toCastro et al (2020). Columns headings: Semaphoront = stage of development of the individual contained in the sample; Structure = termite body part used to define the genera; Character = specific morphological features; Higher level structure = body part that the structure belongs.…”