NIGERIA, Ijare; 7.36, 5.17; 9 Apr 2016, E. Onagbola, UF no. AFR2965; 15 alates, nymphs, ex: dead cacao tree. Orita Obele, (OSRC Radio Station Yard), Akure; 7.29, 5.16; 29 Apr 2016 AFR2966; 5 soldiers, 13 alates, nymphs, ex: living stump of Quickstic (Gliricidia sepiun) tree. Bayduk Road, Akure; 7.301, 5.151, AFR2971; 1 alate, ex: spider web on house fence.

Imago (Figs 1–3, Table 1). Head with vertex and frons dark reddish-brown grading to light orange-brown at genae. Pronotum lighter than dorsum of head; anteclypeus yellowish and labrum concolorous with genae (Fig. 1). Tergites light yellowish-brown, sternites pale yellow to hyaline. Coxa and femora pale yellow, femora and tarsi contrasting light brown. Chevron pattern from overlapping wing scales and meso and meta notum slightly darker than rest of dorsum. Eyes black; ocelli and antennal articles concolorous with labrum. In dorsal view, lateral margins of head converge to anterior forming distinct trapezoidal outline; cranial sutures absent. Vertex with slight concavity, concavity becoming rugose toward anteclypeus. Eyes of medium size, slightly protruding, and weakly subtriangular. Ocelli large, elliptical, nearly touching eye. Antennae with 17–19 articles, rarely 16. Pronotum in dorsal view collar-shaped. Anterior margin of pronotum very shallowly concave; posterior margin nearly straight; pronotum wider than width of head at eyes; widest at posterior 2/5ths. Scattered long (0.25 mm), erect setae on head and pronotum with numerous short and very short setae (Fig. 2A). Tips of long setae rounded at tip; tip weakly spatulate (Fig. 2B). Costal margin, radius, radial sector, and media of forewing brown and sclerotized along their entire lengths (Fig. 3A, B). Cubitus brown just beyond suture line, with about 10 browish branches to middle of wing 3-4 hyaline branched beyond; membrane between media and cubitus with dozens of faint brown reticulations. Arolia present. Mandible dentition typical of genus; left mandible with posterior margin of first plus second marginal tooth equal to anterior margin of third marginal tooth. Right mandible with posterior margin of second marginal tooth subequal to molar plate.

Figure 1. 

Head and thorax of Neotermes aburiensis imago. A Dorsal B lateral, and C ventral views.

Figure 2. 

Neotermes setae on pronotum cuticle. Neotermes aburiensis (A, B) and N. castaneus (Burmeister) (C, D).

Figure 3. 

Neotermes aburiensis forewing (A) and hind wing (B). Neotermes agilis fore wing (C) and hind wing (D). RS = radial sector, M = median vein.

Soldier (Fig. 4, Table 2). Monomorphic. In dorsal view, head capsule dark redish brown at antennae grading to light yellowish orange at occiput. Mandibles black. Three proximal antennal articles reddish brown; distal articles becoming lighter. Eye spots light yellowish brown, elongate, smaller than antennal sockets. Pronotum peripheral margins yellowish orange-brown. Postmentum chestnut; labrum concolorous with vertex. Head capsule in dorsal view, narrowly rectangular; lateral margins slightly concave, narrowing slightly in front. Posterior corners of head evenly rounded; posterior margin rectate. In lateral and oblique view, head capsule almost cylindrical with only slight dorso-ventral compression. In dorsal view, frontal flange squarely angled at 60° forming a deep cleft; in lateral or oblique views antero-lateral corners of flange with knob-like protuberences. Vertex with lateral grooves; lateral margins of vertex with distinct rails. Frons sloping from vertex ≅45°; mandibles curved upward ≅10°. Setae very short and sparse on frons and vertex. Periantennal carina developed; mandibles stout, about one-half length of head capsule; dentition well defined; left mandible with three submarginal teeth; two proximal teeth subdivided by slight concavities; right mandible with proximal tooth eclipsed by labrum; apical teeth angled ≅70°; basal humps moderate, rugose. Labrum linguiform, medium-sized, with long terminal setae. Antennae with 15 articles; third antennal article clavate, barely shorter than fourth and fifth combined. Pronotum broader than head, narrow, shield-shaped; anterior margin evenly concave; anterolateral corners acutely angled at 60°, lateral margins converging to posterior; posterior margin forming an evenly shallow convexity. All femora inflated.

Figure 4. 

Head and pronotum of Neotermes aburiensis soldier. A Dorsal B lateral C ventral, and D oblique views.

The spatulate-tipped setae on the head and pronotum of N. aburiensis are unique among Neotermes and possibly all Isoptera which have tappering, needle-like setae (Fig. 2C, D). The clefted frontal flange, its lateral protuberences, and sloping rugose frons form a phragmotic forehead unique among Neotermes soldiers.

GHANA, Bobiri Butterfly Reserve; 6.690, -1.338, 12 Sept 2006, L.R. Davis, UF no. AFR188; 2 soldiers, 16 alates, nymphs ex: “hard chunk of wood”; 2 alates, 2 nymphs, and soldier photographs sent to K. Krishna 12 Oct 2006.

Imago (Fig. 5, Table 3). Small species. Head with vertex and frons reddish-brown grading to light reddish brown in posterior; lighter near suture of anteclypeus. Pronotum concolorous with dorsum of head except for a lighter area in anterior third; anteclypeus yellowish and labrum concolorous with genae. Tergites yellowish-brown, sternites pale yellow to hyaline. Coxa and femora pale yellow, femora and tarsi light brown. Chevron pattern from overlapping wing scales, meso- and metanotum concolorous with vertex. Eyes greyish black; ocelli and antennal articles concolorous with labrum. In dorsal view, lateral margins of head converge slightely; cranial sutures, thin but distinct. Vertex smooth, slight concavity of frons. Eyes large, slightly protruding, and nearly circular. Ocelli very large, ellipsoid, touching eye. Antennae with 14-16 articles. Pronotum in dorsal view subrectate. Anterior margin of pronotum weakly incised; posterior margin weakly incised in middle; lateral margins evenly rounded. A few scattered erect setae on head; pronotum with numerous long and shorter setae along margins (Fig. 5). Costal margin, radius, radial sector, and media of forewing brown and sclerotized along proximal 1/3 of wing, abrupty becoming hyaline for their remainders (Fig. 3). Median vein with weak posterior bend after suture; coalescing with radial sector at about half length of wing. RS+M hylaline with about 5 anterior branches. Cubitus brown just beyond suture line, with about 4 browish branches to proximal 1/5 of wing 6-7 hyaline branches beyond; membrane pigmented only in basal 1/5; remainder hyaline. Arolia absent. Mandible dentition typical of genus.

Figure 5. 

Head and thorax of Neotermes agilis imago. A Dorsal and B lateral views.

Soldier (Fig. 6; Table 4). Monomorphic. Head capsule dark redish brown in a narrow strip anterior to antennae; remainder of head capsule light yellowish orange. Mandibles black beyond humps, humps dark reddish brown. Eye spots faint or absent. Pronotum light yellowish orange. Head capsule in dorsal view, subquadrate; lateral margins slightly convex. In lateral view, head capsule ellipsoid. Frons sloping from vertex ≅40°; mandibles curved upward ≅20°. Scattered medium and short setae on head capsule and pronotum. Periantennal carina weak; mandibles short and stout; left mandible with three submarginal teeth, right mandible with two large subapical teeth, distal tooth forming right angle with apical tooth, apical teeth angled 50°; basal humps slightly inflated. Labrum linguiform, medium-sized, with long terminal setae. Antennae with 12 articles, third article somewhat enlarged but shorter than fouth and fifth combined. Pronotum as broad as head, wide; anterior margin shallowly incised; anterolateral corners rounded ≅70°, lateral margins parallel; posterior margin rectate in middle. Front femora inflated.

Figure 6. 

Head and pronotum of Neotermes agilis soldier. A Dorsal B lateral, and C ventral views.

The fore wing venation of N. agilis is unique among Neotermes and other kalotermitids in that the major veins are hyaline beyond their bases and the radial sector and median veins coalesce to form a single vein. The venation of N. agilis is close to Rugitermes, but in Rugitermes the distal two thirds of median vein is sclerotized. All other Neotermes have fore wings with fully sclerotized major veins and a median vein which remains independent of the radial sector (see Ware et al. 2010). The soldier of N. agilis is among the smallest of the genus and has an unusually broad pronotum.