Corresponding author: Yves Roisin (
Academic editor: M. Engel
Recently, we completed a revision of the
The
The
Some recent revisions or compilations of distributional data are available for
Extensive termite collecting was carried out by J. M. Pasteels (in collection records:
This study is based on the morphology of soldier and alate castes. Soldiers supply most of the important taxonomic information at the species level. The following characters are of major interest: size, general shape of the head, shape of mandibles, shape of postmentum, pilosity of head and number of antennal articles. Alates, when available, may give taxonomic information at the species level by the general shape of their head and pronotum.
The measurements used, detailed below, follow the guidelines of
Measurements.
For scanning electron microscopy, specimens were dehydrated in a conventional ethanol series, impregnated for 24 h in hexamethyldisilazane, air dried and gold coated. Digital images were taken with a Philips XL 30 ESEM.
Species determinations were carried out after comparison with type series or identified specimens kept in the following museums
American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA
Natural History Museum, London, UK
Cambridge University Museum of Zoology, Cambridge, UK
Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles, Brussels, Belgium
Museum of Victoria, Abbotsford, Victoria, Australia
Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet, Stockholm, Sweden
Samples numbered
Imago head circular, covered by many setae. Fontanelle indistinct and appearing as a small spot in the middle of the head. Large ocelli located above the eyes. Pronotum and abdomen densely hairy. Soldiers with pyriform head capsule, slightly hairy. Fontanelle very large, directed forward, through which the latex-like secretion of the frontal gland is discharged. Labrum short, triangular-shaped. Mandibles narrow and elongated, curved at tip; right mandible without subsidiary teeth and serrations; left one with a basal tooth and serrations. Antennae with 12 to 16 articles.
The genus
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(
(
This species shows variation in size along its distribution range although no consistent characters allowed us to split it up.
This species, originally described from Kavieng, New Ireland, is widespread throughout New Guinean forests. It is abundant in the bird’s neck area of Indonesian Papua, but only a few specimens were collected from Papua New Guinea (
In his revision of termites from Australia,
(
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This species is closely allied to
(
Unknown.
(
This species is closely related and imperfectly separated from
(
unknown.
(
Known distribution in New Guinea of: ✚
Known distribution in New Guinea of: ∗
This species is allied to
(
We named this species in honor of
Imago head roughly oval, narrower anteriorly than posteriorly. Fontanelle small, located in the middle of the head. Eyes small and flat. Ocelli situated in front of the head, before eyes. Antennae generally with 15 to 19 articles. Pronotum elongated, narrower than head. Soldier head long and narrow, rectangular-shaped. Fontanelle small, circular, situated forward. Labrum short to medium-sized, about half as long as mandibles. Mandibles sabre-shaped, slightly curved at tips. Left mandible with a tooth and some serrations at the base. Right mandible without basal tooth and serrations. Antennae with 13 to 18 articles.
Most species of
Unknown from New Guinea (see
(
(
Known distribution in New Guinea of: ✖
(
(
Morphological variation occurs along the distribution range of
(
Imago head approximately circular, with fontanelle situated between eyes. Frons with a slightly visible groove. Labrum short, inclined downward, without groove. Antennae with 16 or 17 articles. Pronotum relatively short, generally of the same width or slightly narrower than head. Soldier head rectangular to ovoid. Frons and clypeus with a groove, from the narrow fontanelle to the beginning of the labrum. Labrum elongated, crossed by a groove in the middle, and garnished with an apical brush. Base of mandibles serrated. Left mandible with two subsidiary teeth. Right mandible with one subsidiary tooth. Antennae with 13 articles.
This genus is known from the Oriental region, northeastern India, the Papuan region and northern Australia (in northern Queensland) (
Known distribution in New Guinea of: ∗
(
(
(
Several species of
(
(
This species is distinguishable from
(
The four species of
We named this species after the latin “
Imagoes very similar to those of
This genus is known from Africa, Southeast Asia, the Papuan region and Australia (
Unknown.
(
(
This species is easily distinguishable from others by its large size and its densely hairy abdomen in the minor and major soldier castes. Minor soldiers are highly variable in size, indicating the likely presence of two developmental subcategories (
(
Three species of
Unknown.
(
(
This species is easily distinguished from other New Guinean species by the large rounded head and stout mandibles of its major soldiers.
(
We compared the type material of
(
(
(
This species can be distinguished from other New Guinean species by the number of setae on the pronotum (6 per segment), mesonotum (4), metanotum (4) and abdomen (6) in the major soldier caste.
(
Several
Known distribution in New Guinea of: ■
◆ Known distribution in New Guinea of
(
(
(
This species is related to
(
Imago head oval to circular-shaped, with ocelli located before the well developed eyes. Fontanelle situated in the middle of the head. Antenna with 19 to 22 articles. Pronotum narrower than head. Soldier head variable in shape, often larger posteriorly than anteriorly. Fontanelle narrow, placed at anterior third of the head. Frons with a groove in the middle from opening of fontanelle to clypeus. Eyes present as hyaline spots, more or less developed. Antennae with 13 to 20 articles. Pronotum generally wide. Mandibles elongated, left one with a short marginal tooth at the basis, right one without marginal teeth. Soldiers and workers very variable in size (
(
(
(
Imagoes densely hairy. Head larger posteriorly than anteriorly. Fontanelle very narrow, placed in the middle of the head. Eyes small. Antennae with 10 to 15 articles. Pronotum very small, half as broad as head. Wings without median and radial vein (
Known distribution in New Guinea of: ∗
(
(
(
1 | Mandibles sabre-like, without subsidiary teeth ( |
2 |
– | Left and right mandibles with 2 and 1 subsidiary teeth respectively ( |
10 |
2 | Head rounded to ovoid, with broad fontanelle opening in front ( |
|
– | Head of different shape, with dot-like fontanelle distant from clypeal border | 7 |
3 | Head rounded, fontanelle well visible from above, mandibles strongly curved at tip ( |
|
– | Soldier head of different shape, fontanelle directed forwards | 4 |
4 | Head distincly narrowing anteriorly ( |
5 |
– | Head ovoid ( |
6 |
5 | Small-sized soldier (HW < 1.10 mm), mandibles slightly curved ( |
|
– | Large-sized soldier (HW > 1.15) mm, mandibles distinctly curved ( |
|
6 | Mandibles curved at tips ( |
|
- | Mandibles almost not curved at tips ( |
|
7 | Soldier flattened with heart-shaped head ( |
|
– | Soldier not flattened, head ovoid or with parallel sides, with posterior margin not indented ( |
8 |
8 | Soldier head with sparse setae ( |
|
– | Soldier head covered by hundreds of setae ( |
|
9 | Head with a small hump anteriorly ( |
|
– | Head with a large hump anteriorly ( |
|
10 | Monomorphic soldiers with serrated mandible base ( |
|
- | Polymorphic soldiers, mandible base not serrated | |
11 | Postmentum completely covered by setae ( |
|
– | Postmentum covered by setae only in the anterior part ( |
|
12 | Pronotum and abdomen of major soldiers with 6 setae per segment |
|
– | Pronotum and abdomen of major soldiers with 10 or more setae per segment | 13 |
13 | Major soldier head rounded, with stout mandibles ( |
|
– | Major soldier head somewhat flattened on sides and posterior margin ( |
14 |
14 | Abdomen of major soldier with more than 20 setae per segment |
|
– | Abdomen of major soldier with less than 20 setae per segment |
|
This study reveals that the richness of
The distribution patterns of rhinotermitid species match those found in termitids (
We expect the rhinotermitid diversity found in this study to reflect the overall richness of the island, although it is inevitable that some rare or locally distributed taxa escaped detection. Two regions are particularly likely to host undiscovered taxa: (i) southern Papuan savannas, in which our collecting effort was limited, possibly host additional taxa of Australian affinities; (ii) as stated above, the western half of New Guinea (Indonesian Papua) was also poorly explored and is therefore likely to conceal further taxa of Oriental origin, in the vein of
Thanks are due to museum curators who kindly loaned us type material, with a special mention to Kumar Krishna (AMNH) who also allowed us access to samples from the Emersons’ journey through Lae and Port Moresby in 1962–1963. J.M. Pasteels and M. Leponce contributed to several collection campaigns. J. Cillis provided technical assistance with SEM operations. Financial support was provided by the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research (F.R.S.–FNRS), through several grants to YR and a predoctoral fellowship to TB.
Situation of collecting localities in Papua New Guinea and Indonesian Papua
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Aitape |
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Aiyura |
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1700 |
Ataliklikun Bay |
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Awar |
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Baitabag |
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Bogia-Tangu road km 3-5 |
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Bogia-Tangu road km 10 |
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Boisa Island |
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Bosavi (mission) |
|
600 |
Braham mission |
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Brown River (bridge) |
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Bukaua |
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Bulolo |
|
800 |
Bunapae |
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Bunapas road | ||
Bundi |
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1000 |
Busu River |
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Coa (Kaimana airfield) |
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Gilagil bridge |
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Guam bridge |
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Hansa Point |
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Hatzfeldthafen (Yoro road) |
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Kaiapit |
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Kaimana |
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Kaulz Creek |
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1300 |
Kausi-Bundi road |
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650 |
Kavieng |
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Koiasi |
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Koil Island |
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Kokoda |
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Kola |
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Konos |
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Lae |
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Laing Island |
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Lake Kutubu (Gesege) |
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Lake Murray |
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Lelet plateau |
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950 |
Lorengau-Yiringo road km 32 |
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Madang-Lae road km 30 |
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Mambare River |
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Manam Island | ||
Manki range |
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1350 |
Marangis |
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Markham River |
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McAdam National Park |
|
850 |
Meervlakte |
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Morehead |
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Mount Missim |
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1700 |
Mount Susu |
|
950 |
Nabire-Mapia road km 43 |
|
250 |
Nabire-Mapia road km 48 |
|
350 |
Nabire-Mapia road km 62 |
|
300 |
Nomad |
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Nubia |
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Oomsis |
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Pimaga |
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800 |
Popondetta |
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Port Moresby |
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Potsdam (plantation) |
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Pusppenssat-IrJa |
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750 |
Sanoba |
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Sattelberg |
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Sepen No.1 |
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Simbang |
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Sirasira |
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600 |
Sirinumu Dam |
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Sogeri |
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Subitana plantation |
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Tabele |
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Tabobo |
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Tabubil |
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500 |
Topo |
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Tsenap |
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UPNG campus |
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Usino |
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Vanimo |
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Varirata National Park |
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Waima |
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Wampit |
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Wanuma |
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650 |
Warengoi |
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Wau-Edie Creek road |
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2100 |
Wipim |
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Yagaum Hospital |
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Yapsiei |
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