Orthognathotermes longilamina, Rocha, Mauricio Martins Da & Cancello, Eliana M., 2009

Rocha, Mauricio Martins Da & Cancello, Eliana M., 2009, Revision of the Neotropical termite genus Orthognathotermes Holmgren (Isoptera: Termitidae: Termitinae), Zootaxa 2280, pp. 1-26 : 10

Orthognathotermes longilamina , new species

(figs. 14, 23, 32)

Holotype: soldier identified as such, part of lot MZUSP-9819, 28.i.1993, E.M. Cancello & B.A. O. da Silva coll.

Type-locality: Brazil: Espírito Santo State, Linhares. (18º 42’ 54’’ S 39º 51’ 12’’ W)

Paratypes: BRAZIL. Bahia: Milagres - Jequié: 22.vii.1974, R.L. Araujo coll. (5550); Maracás: 26.xi.1990, E.M. Cancello & M.T. Ponte coll. (10159). Espírito Santo: Linhares: 28.i.1993, E.M. Cancello & B.A. O. da Silva coll. (9819*, 9820, 9821). Minas Gerais: Belo Horizonte: 1.xii.1956, R.L. Araujo coll. (2012); 4.i.1954. (4067); 1.xii.1956, (4529*); 28.xi.1956.; (4707); 9.vii.1975. (6088); 12.vii.1975. (6230); BR 135, Km 14 (near Belo Horizonte): 17.viii.1971. (4936); BR 135, (ca 16 Km S de Belo Horizonte): 13.ii.1972. (5011); Campos Altos: 11.xi.1972. (5744); Capitão Enéias: 15.vii.1975. (6251); Lagoa Santa: 12.i.1954. (4104, 4106); 20.xi.1972. (5667); Montes Claros: 23.vii.1975 (6165); Poços de Caldas: 13.ix.1967 (434); Teófilo Otoni: 28.vi.1970 (4793); Jatiboca, Faz. Decima: 1.xi.1995, no collector data. (UFV-1040); Jatiboca, Pombal: 1996, no collector data (UFV-841); Jatiboca, São Bento: 1996, no collector data (UFV-1703); Lagoa Santa, PAMA: 20.x.1993, Denize coll. (UFV-3524); Sete Lagoas: 13.v.1982, D.L. Domingos & T.M.C.M. Cavernaghi coll. (UFV-5451, UFV-5454); 22.ix.1982. (UFV-5452); 9.xi.1984 (UFV-5458); Parque do Rio Doce: 11.x.1994, Júlio coll. (UFV-4962); 28.iii.1985 (UFV-6265). Paraíba: João Pessoa, Mata do Buraquinho: 1–20.vi.2000, A. Vasconcellos coll. (11478, 11479). Pernambuco: Recife, Horto dois irmãos: 1– 20.vi.2000, M.P. Silva coll. (11480). Piauí: Francisco Santos: 7.xii.1976, R.L. Araujo coll. (7126). Rio de Janeiro: Campos: 5.ix.1963, M.M. Chaves coll. (2007); Tocantins: Jalapão: 13.ii.2002, D. Mesquita coll. (UnB-3497).

Etymology: longilamina is the combination of the words “ longi ” (=long) and “ lamina ” (=blade), from Latin, in reference to the distal long cutting edge on inner margin of mandible, in comparison to rod-like basal part.

Imago. Unknown.

Soldier. Head with sides irregular and slightly convergent in front in dorsal view. In profile dorsal lump slightly salient, behind the flanges. Mandibles of the second pattern, tooth-like projection at proximal half. Head capsule with scattered bristles and short hairs, denser on ventral surface, microscopic hairs in distal region. Posmentum with bristles. Pronotum with short hairs and bristles, more abundant on margins, mesonotum and metanotum with bristles on posterior margins, abdominal tergites and sternites densely covered with bristles, sternites with erect bristles on posterior margins.

Comparisons. O. longilamina sp. nov. soldier has mandibles of the second pattern, a head capsule smaller than O. gibberorum , O. heberi , O. insignis , O. okeyma sp. nov., O. orthognathus , O. uncimandibularis sp. nov. and differs form all other species by the distal long slender cutting edge on inner margin of mandible. The most similar species are O. macrocephalus , from which it differs by the curved lateral margins of head capsule, and O. brevipilosus , from which it differs by the denser short hairs on ventral surface of head capsule.

Geographical distribution. Records of O. longilamina are in open formations, like pastures, Cerrados and Caatinga, and in closed forest formations (Atlantic Forest).