Labiotermes pelliceus Emerson & Banks

Labiotermes pelliceus Emerson & Banks, 1965: 28 –30 [soldier, Fig. 9]; Kovoor 1969: 198 –207 [gut morphology, Figs. 3–4, Pl. Figs. I­3, II­3].

Holotype: soldier (AMNH), not examined.

Type­locality: Guyana: Itabu Creek.

Imago. Unknown.

Soldier (Fig. 10 A–B, 11J). Described by Emerson & Banks (1965: 28–30). Additional measurements are presented in Table 2.

Comparisons. The soldier of L. pelliceus can be easily recognized by the dense fine hairs on the head capsule.

Worker. (Figs. 10, 13 J, 15T–U, 16J) Head, postclypeus and pronotum densely covered with bristles and fine hairs. Mesonotum with a line of numerous bristles on posterior margin. Front coxa with a blunt lateral projection near base. Antenna with 15 articles. Fontanelle large and rounded. Enteric valve with 6 finger­like ridges of unequal size, covered with long and curved spines. Mixed segment with two elongate mesenteric lobes; small lobe more than half the length of the large one. Measurements in Table 3.

Comparisons. The worker of L. pelliceus can be recognized by the dense fine hairs on the head and body. Its enteric valve is distinct from all other species.

Geographical distribution. Labiotermes pelliceus has been recorded from relatively few localities (Fig. 21), most of them in Brazilian Amazonia. It seems to occur only in the rainforest.

Remarks. In most samples examined, the color of the soldier head capsule is not as dark as described by Emerson & Banks (1965). Most had the head capsule light brown. Material examined

BRAZIL. Amazonas. Manaus, rodovia BR­174, km 54: s., w., 05.vi.2002, I. Ackerman (UnB­4711, 4712, 4713). Manaus, Reserva Ducke: s., w., 27.vii.1983, Ch. Noirot (MZSP­9380); s., w., 01.i.1991, F.B. Apolinário (UnB­3689). Manaus, Rodovia ZF­2: s., w., 16.iii.1988, A.G. Bandeira (INPA­690). Maranhão. Aldeia Araçu: s., w., 07.v.1963, B. Malkin (MZSP­1891). Mato Grosso. Juruena: s., w., 06.vii.2002, R. Constantino (UnB­3431). Pará. Paragominas: s., w., 27.vi.1990, R. Constantino (MPEG 3514). Oriximiná, Porto Trombetas: s., w., 29.vii.2000, A.N.S. Acioli (UnB­5514). GUYANA. Acary Mountains, Itabu Creek: paratype soldier, x.1938, E.R. Blake (MZSP).