Lukotermes milescaput, Perkovsky & Nel, 2021

Perkovsky, Evgeny E. & Nel, André, 2021, A new Rovno amber termite genus (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae) from Styr river basin, Palaeontologia Electronica (a 05) 24 (1), pp. 1-13 : 3

Lukotermes milescaput sp. nov.

Figures 1–3

zoobank.org/ 14A1178E-BAE2-4B8F-8082-9151F9F3FE95

Type material. Holotype L-122 (well-preserved alate with body, legs, and wing scales preserved, mouthparts hidden by small bubbles), stored at SIZK.

Diagnosis. As for the genus; very small alate, body 3.3 mm long; 15 antennomeres; antennomeres 3 and 4 very small.

Etymology. Named after the Latin ‘miles’ for soldier, and ‘caput’ for head; because of the head similar to that of a soldier.

Age and outcrop. Priabonian, Eocene, Rovno amber, near Voronki Village and Lake Luko, Ukraine.

Description. Imago, female. Body 3.31 mm long, head length to apex of clypeus 0.80 mm, head width 0.70 mm, head elongate, longer than wide, with lateral sides parallel ( Figure 1A–B, D ); sparse short setae on head capsule (longest 0.05 mm long); right antenna with 15 antennomeres (antennomeres 3 and 4 very small); fontanelle weakly visible, situated in anterior part of head capsule with no groove between it and tip of labrum; postclypeus 0.10 mm long, convex but without nose-like projection; right ocellus more or less visible, 0.10 mm long; a pronounced bump above base of antenna; compound eye 0.21 mm long, 0.70 and 0.05 mm high; distance between middle of eye and posterior side of head/distance between middle of eye and anterior part of head = 1.60 (eye rather far from anterior part of head); distal labial palpomere much wider than distal maxillary palpomere. Thorax ( Figure 1C ) 1.0 mm long, ca. 0.6 mm wide; pronotum flat, 0.37 mm long, 0.53 mm wide, as broad as head with posterior margin strongly emarginate, posterior width along a line passing at median notch 2/3 width along anterior margin; sparse setae pronotum, more numerous on lateral side and posterior half; setae are longer than on head, 0.08– 0.09 mm long. Forewing scale 0.43 mm long, slightly overlapping base of hind wing scale; hind wing scale 0.36 mm long; forewing M and CuA apparently separated in scale; both fore- and hind wing scales covered with setae similar to those on pronotum (longest 0.1 mm), directed posteriorly. Four tarsomeres; tibial spur formula 2:2:2 ( Figure 2B ). Abdomen ca. 1.70 mm long, 0.70 mm wide; last sternite broad, 10th (last) tergite, cerci and paraprocts. Cerci two-segmented, with segments of similar lengths ( Figure 3 ); styli and sternal glands not visible.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Lukotermes milescaput gen. et sp. nov., holotype L-122, female. General habitus (A), head from above, arrows: bumps (B), thorax from above (C), head from below (D). Scale bars equal 1 mm in A, 0.2 mm in B–C, 0.5 mm in D.

FIGURE 2. Lukotermes milescaput gen. et sp. nov., holotype L-122, female. Head frontal view (A), fore leg (B). Scale bars equal to 0.2 mm in A, 0.1 mm in B.

FIGURE 3. Lukotermes milescaput gen. et sp. nov., holotype L-122, female. Abdomen apex, arrow: cercus. Scale bar equals 0.2 mm.