Cubitermes oblectatus, Harris, 1958, Harris, 1958

Josens, Guy & Deligne, Jean, 2019, Species groups in the genus Cubitermes (Isoptera: Termitidae) defined on the basis of enteric valve morphology, European Journal of Taxonomy 515, pp. 1-72 : 52-54

8. The oblectatus valve pattern group

The worker within this group has an enteric valve with three primary cushions, PC3, PC4 and PC5, ending downstream in three yellow-to-brown sclerotised spatulae that stick out of the valve ( Fig. 11H , H’). The spatula of PC4 ends symmetrically with two right angles, whereas the spatulae of PC3 and PC5 end in acute angles pointing towards the spatula of PC4; PC3 and PC5 bear crests that are higher than they are wide; PC4 bears a less high crest. The other primary cushions (PC1–PC2 & PC6) are roughly rectangular to fusiform. The enteric valve shows bilateral symmetry due to the three spatulae and to PC1, which is generally longer than PC2 and PC6 ( Fig. 19A ).

PC1 is made of (a) an upstream spiny part (25–31% of total length) with relatively strong spines, (b) a middle spiny part (37–39% of total length) with somewhat weaker spines and with 18–23 lateral supporting bristles on each side, and (c) a bristly part (32–36% of total length) with very numerous (estimated at 140–160) curved and apparently soft bristles ( Fig. 19A ).

PC4 is made of (a) an upstream spiny part (20–22% of total length) with relatively strong spines, (b) a middle spiny part (37–41% of total length) with somewhat weaker spines and with 17–20 lateral supporting bristles on each side, (c) a bristly part (21–24% of total length) with 120–150 curved and apparently soft bristles on a low crest, and (d) a symmetric sclerotised spatula (15–21% of total length) bearing some short spines and 15–20 very short tooth-like spines on each side (Fig. 1 1H).

The secondary cushions are generally two to three times wider than the primary cushions and are more or less outlined; their largest widths are located in the upstream fourth or third and they narrow noticeably downstream with a homogeneous spine (upstream) and bristle (downstream) scattering ( Fig. 19A ).

In the soldier’s enteric valve, the three spatulae on PC3, PC4 and PC5 are present but weakly developed, with blunt downstream ends ( Fig. 19B ). The secondary cushions are wider than the PCs (their largest widths located in the upstream fourth or third) and they narrow noticeably downstream.

This valve pattern is therefore characterised by three spatulae in the workers’ and soldiers’ valves; the unique species is large.

Material examined

One species has such enteric valves:

Figures

Fig. 11. Representative primary cushions of the various patterns encountered in the workers of the genus Cubitermes; WVPD = downstream bristly part; WVPM = middle spiny part; WVPS = spatula; WVPU = upstream spiny part. A. PC1 of the bilobatus valve pattern. B. PC1 of the oculatus valve pattern. C. any odd PC of the bilobatodes valve pattern. D. PC1 of the muneris valve pattern. E. PC6 and PC1 of the fungifaber valve pattern. E’. PC3 of the fungifaber valve pattern, twisted and partly seen in profile. F. PC1 of the finitimus valve pattern. F’. PC3 of the finitimus valve pattern, twisted and seen in profile. G. PC3 of the sankurensis valve pattern. H and H’. PC3 and PC4 of the oblectatus valve pattern. I. Any PC of the sulcifrons valve pattern. I’. Any PC of the sulcifrons valve pattern, twisted and seen in profile. All drawings to the same scale.

Fig. 19. A. Enteric valve of the “oblectatus valve pattern”, from a worker of Cubitermes oblectatus Harris, 1958; B. idem from a soldier of C. oblectatus; C. Idem from an imago of C. sp., spatulae on PC3, PC4 and PC5 are sketched (arrows); A, B and C at the same scale; D. Geographical distribution of species with the oblectatus valve pattern.