Research Article |
Corresponding author: Rudolf Scheffrahn ( rhsc@ufl.edu ) Academic editor: Eliana Cancello
© 2016 Rudolf Scheffrahn.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Scheffrahn RH (2016) Parvitermes (Isoptera, Termitidae, Nasutitermitinae) in Central America: Two new termite species and reassignment of Nasutitermes mexicanus. ZooKeys 617: 47-63. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.617.10040
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The termite genus Parvitermes is now recognized on the Central American mainland to include P. mexicanus, new combination (previously in Nasutitermes) and two new species, P. mesoamericanus sp. n. and P. yucatanus sp. n., herein described from soldiers and workers. These three species, nine West Indian Parvitermes, and Antillitermes subtilis all share characteristic enteric valve spines that orientate against intestinal flow. All species are subterranean nesters and cellulose feeders. Evidence is mounting that generic-level endemicity may be completely absent among the West Indian nasutitermitine fauna and that its origins stem from Central America.
Neotropics, soldier key, enteric valve armature, new combination, taxonomy
In the present paper, Parvitermes is shown to be a widespread endemic genus of the Central American mainland as Parvitermes mexicanus (Light, 1933), comb. n. and as two new Central American species, P. mesoamericanus and P. yucatanus. All three species are described mainly by the shape of soldier nasus and their enteric valve armature.
All material is from the
1 | Head capsule widest near posterior third (Fig. |
P. mexicanus |
– | Head capsule widest near middle (Fig. |
2 |
2(1) | Nasus, in lateral view, nearly cylindrical in apical 2/3 (Fig. |
P. mesoamericanus sp. n. |
– | Nasus, in lateral view, conical (Fig. |
P. yucatanus sp. n. |
Nasutitermes brooksi Snyder, 1925. Type: soldier; Cuba, Cienfuegos, Soledad.
The nomenclatural summary for Parvitermes is provided by
The spine arrangement and counter-current orientation of the Parvitermesenteric valve armature (EVA), with the exception of Antillitermes, is unique among all termite genera. In addition to Parvitermes, only three other nasutitermitine genera are found from Mexico to Nicaragua, including Nasutitermes, Subulitermes, and Tenuirostritermes (Atlantitermes from Nicaragua in
The EVA arises within the second proctodeal segment (P2) which forms a swelling at the terminus of a very long (shorter and thicker in P. mexicanus), U-shaped P1. The P2 constricts somewhat at its attachment near the dorsal surface of the third proctodeal segment (P3 or paunch) to form a pear-shaped segment (Fig.
Nasutitermes mexicanus Nickle & Collins, 1988 (soldier). Type localities: MEXICO: Colima: Colima, Jala, and Madrid.
MEXICO, 76 km S. Oaxaca, 16.49, -96.74, 11 Jan 1997, T.G. Myles & D.A. Muruvanda,
See below under P. mesoamericanus sp. n.
Unknown.
(Table
Colony | Head length to end of nasus | Head width (max.) | Pronotal width | Hind tibia length |
---|---|---|---|---|
MX23 (n=3) | 1.44–1.52 | 0.80–0.82 | 0.42–0.46 | 0.94–0.96 |
MX99 (n=2) | 1.50–1.52 | 0.88–0.92 | 0.44–0.45 | 0.92–0.93 |
MX572 (n=8) | 1.34–1.46 | 0.72–0.80 | 0.44–0.46 | 0.89–0.96 |
Range | 1.34–1.52 | 0.72–0.92 | 0.42–0.46 | 0.89–0.96 |
Mean | 1.43 | 0.80 | 0.45 | 0.92 |
In dorsal view, head capsule outline, without nasus, subtrapazoidal; nasus about 2/3 as long as rest of head capsule; head capsule slightly constricted behind antennal sockets; widest at posterior 1/3. In lateral view, vertex with slight concavities near midpoint; second slight concavity at base of nasus; plane of vertex parallel with ventral margin of head capsule. In dorsal view nasus is narrowly conical, about twice its width at base compared to midpoint. In lateral view nasus narrowly conical; angled ca. 5°above plane of vertex. Mandibles without points. Antennal with 13 articles (1>2<3>4). Hind tibia longer than head width. Pronotum with scattered microscopic setae (0.03 mm); anterior lobe evenly convex and ca. 90° from plane of posterior lobe, posterior lobe more blunt. Each tergite with 3-4 long (0.1 mm) setae and dozens of microscopic (0.03 mm) setae. EVA consists of three irregular rows of sharp, narrow, and down-curved spines; a few small scale-like spines in the anterior ring.
(Table
Colony | Head length to end of postclypeus | Postclypeal length | Head width | Pronotal width | Hind tibia length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
MX23 (n=3) | 0.84–1.06 | 0.21–0.22 | 0.88–1.06 | 0.44–0.48 | 0.72–0.84 |
MX99 (n=1) | 0.92 | 0.23 | 0.96 | 0.42 | 0.74 |
MX572 (n=11) | 0.80–1.01 | 0.21–0.26 | 0.90–1.04 | 0.40–0.55 | 0.74–0.94 |
Range | 0.80–1.06 | 0.21–0.26 | 0.88–1.06 | 0.40–0.55 | 0.72–0.94 |
Mean | 0.93 | 0.23 | 0.96 | 0.44 | 0.78 |
Tropical Pacific slope of Mexico (Fig.
Honduras, S. Pinalillo, 15.0860, -88.2160, 144 m elev.
Soldier, 2 Jun 2007, Scheffrahn et al. cols.,
GUATEMALA: Salama, 15.1055, -90.3261 , 28 May 2006, Scheffrahn et al., GUA16; Road to Rabinal, 15.1045, -90.3722, 28 May 2006, Scheffrahn et al., GUA33; HONDURAS: Coyolito, 13.3149, -87.6227, 31 May 2007, Scheffrahn et al., HN431; NICARAGUA: Los Cardones, 12.8851, -86.0534, 30 May 2004, Scheffrahn et al., NI114.
Unknown.
(Table
Colony | Head length to end of nasus | Head width (max.) | Pronotal width | Hind tibia length |
---|---|---|---|---|
GUA16 (n=12) | 1.38–1.50 | 0.76–0.84 | 0.36–0.41 | 0.66–0.78 |
GUA33 (n=12) | 1.48–1.63 | 0.83–0.91 | 0.42–0.48 | 0.76–0.84 |
HN431 (n=12) | 1.37–1.49 | 0.76–0.82 | 0.41–0.43 | 0.68–0.76 |
HN822 (n=10) | 1.37–1.46 | 0.71–0.80 | 0.36–0.39 | 0.64–0.75 |
NI114 (n=12) | 1.30–1.43 | 0.69–0.75 | 0.40–0.42 | 0.64–0.75 |
Range | 1.30–1.63 | 0.69–0.91 | 0.36–0.48 | 0.64–0.84 |
Mean | 1.44 | 0.78 | 0.40 | 0.72 |
(Table
Colony | Head length to end of postclypeus | Postclypeal length | Head width | Pronotal width | Hind tibia length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
GUA16 (n=12) | 0.74–0.92 | 0.17–0.23 | 0.80–0.92 | 0.39–0.52 | 0.54–0.75 |
GUA33 (n=12) | 0.85–0.98 | 0.20–0.23 | 0.87–0.92 | 0.44–0.54 | 0.63–0.80 |
HN431 (n=12) | 0.70–0.88 | 0.17–0.20 | 0.77–0.90 | 0.37–0.48 | 0.53–0.70 |
HN822 (n=10) | 0.76–0.86 | 0.17–0.20 | 0.76–0.86 | 0.36–0.46 | 0.58–0.74 |
NI114 (n=12) | 0.76–0.85 | 0.18–0.20 | 0.77–0.86 | 0.40–0.46 | 0.60–0.75 |
Range | 0.70–0.98 | 0.17–0.23 | 0.76–0.92 | 0.36–0.54 | 0.53–0.80 |
Mean | 0.83 | 0.20 | 0.84 | 0.45 | 0.66 |
Named for Middle America which encompasses Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; the known range of this termite. The distribution habitat of P. mesoamericanus (Fig.
The soldier of P. mesoamericanus has the nasus directed forward, the head capsule widest in the middle, a few scattered long setae on the vertex, and points on the mandibular stubs while in P. mexicanus, the nasus is slightly upturned, the head is widest in the posterior third, the vertex lacks scattered long setae, and the mandibular stubs have points. The worker of P. mesoamericanus has a much longer and more ventrally positioned P1, stouter and less curved EVA spines, and longer setae on the vertex, while in P. mexicanus the P1 is shorter and more dorsal, the EVA spines are thinner and more curved, and the setae on the vertex are shorter. The P. mesoamericanus worker is proportionally smaller to its soldier as compared P. mexicanus. Both castes of P. mexicanus have longer hind tibia than P. mesoamericanus.
Mexico, 0.9 km N. gate of Punta Sam, 21.2423, -86.8056, 2 m elev.
Soldier. 9 Dec 1997, J. Chase, J. Mangold cols.,
GUATEMALA: P. N. Tikal, 17.1371, -89.6803, 30 May 2006, Scheffrahn et al., GUA222; MEXICO: Hwy 307, 1 km S Marine, 20.5803, -87.1424, 8 Dec 1997, J. Chase, J. Mangold, MX148; same data, MX152; Chicana Ecovillage, 18.5178, -89.4846, 21 Jan 2001, MX281; 10.5 km W Coba toward Chemax, 20.5514, -87.8049, 22 Jan 2003, J. Chase, J. Mangold, MX492.
Unknown.
(Table
Colony | Head length to end of nasus | Head width (max.) | Pronotal width | Hind tibia length |
---|---|---|---|---|
GUA222 (n=12) | 1.36–1.45 | 0.70–0.78 | 0.36–0.40 | 0.65–0.70 |
MX148 (n=2) | 1.28–1.29 | 0.66 | 0.36 | 0.58 |
MX152 (n=12) | 1.34–1.42 | 0.68–0.74 | 0.34–0.40 | 0.64–0.70 |
MX161 (n=12) | 1.36–1.46 | 0.74–0.78 | 0.38–0.44 | 0.66–0.74 |
MX281 (n=12) | 1.38–1.45 | 0.72–0.78 | 0.34–0.39 | 0.64–0.76 |
MX492 (n=12) | 1.32–1.42 | 0.72–0.78 | 0.34–0.38 | 0.64–0.70 |
Range | 1.28–1.46 | 0.66–0.78 | 0.34–0.44 | 0.58–0.76 |
Mean | 1.38 | 0.72 | 0.37 | 0.67 |
(Table
Colony | Head length to end of postclypeus | Postclypeal length | Head width | Pronotal width | Hind tibia length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
GUA222 (n=12) | 0.73–0.85 | 0.17–0.20 | 0.76–0.86 | 0.36–0.46 | 0.54–0.67 |
MX148 (n=4) | 0.73–0.80 | 0.17–0.19 | 0.73–0.80 | 0.36–0.39 | 0.51–0.58 |
MX152 (n=12) | 0.68–0.84 | 0.18–0.23 | 0.71–0.85 | 0.32–0.44 | 0.54–0.70 |
MX161 (n=12) | 0.78–0.87 | 0.17–0.19 | 0.77–0.84 | 0.40–0.53 | 0.56–0.74 |
MX281 (n=12) | 0.76–0.84 | 0.17–0.19 | 0.78–0.84 | 0.36–0.44 | 0.60–0.74 |
MX492 (n=12) | 0.75–0.85 | 0.17–0.19 | 0.74–0.82 | 0.36–0.40 | 0.54–0.67 |
Range | 0.68–0.87 | 0.17–0.23 | 0.71–0.86 | 0.32–0.53 | 0.51–0.74 |
Mean | 0.78 | 0.18 | 0.79 | 0.38 | 0.61 |
Named for the Yucatan Peninsula which encompasses Belize, Mexico, and Guatemala; the known range of P. yucatanus (Fig.
The soldiers of P. yucatanus and P. mesoamericanus are very similar with the following exception: the nasus of P. yucatanus, in lateral view, is more conical and broader at the base than that of P. mesoamericanus. The workers of P. yucatanus and P. mesoamericanus are indistinguishable. The distributions of P. yucatanus and P. mesoamericanus appear to be allopatric (Fig.
The Central American Parvitermes are wood-surface feeders. They typically attack wood in contact with the ground where they encase their surroundings with dark carton material (Fig.
The current study reveals that Parvitermes is no longer a genus exclusive to the West Indies (
I thank my fellow collectors on both the Guatemala and Honduras expeditions (Scheffrahn et al. in “materials examined sections above): Brian Bahder, Jim Chase, Jan Krecek, Vinda Maharajh, John Mangold, Tim Myles, Tom Nishimura, and Bob Setter. In Nicaragua, I was accompanied by JC, JK, VM, JM, Bayardo Herrera, and Jorge Moreno. I thank Liam Lynch for his able assistance with montage photography, Tony Postle for morphometrics, and Ben Gillenwaters and John Warner for review of this manuscript. Much of this research was funded by Terminix International Co. L.P.