Orthognathotermes heberi Raw & Egler

Rocha, Mauricio Martins Da & Cancello, Eliana M., 2009, Revision of the Neotropical termite genus Orthognathotermes Holmgren (Isoptera: Termitidae: Termitinae), Zootaxa 2280, pp. 1-26 : 7-8

Orthognathotermes heberi Raw & Egler

(figs. 8, 21, 29)

Orthognathotermes heberi Raw & Egler, 1985:333 (soldier, table 1).

Holotype: lost. See comments below.

Neotype, here designated: soldier: MZUSP-9078, Brazil, Goiás, Parque Nacional das Emas, 24.IX.1982, A. Raw coll., kept separately in the same vial with the paratypes, part of the same lot as the holotype.

Paratypes: soldiers and workers. BRAZIL. Goiás: Parque Nacional das Emas: 24.IX.1982, A. Raw coll. (9078). Examined.

Imago. Eyes small, distant from the inferior margin of head by less than the larger diameter of the ocellus. Ocelli reniform in dorsal view, oval, remote from the eye by distance equal to its minimum diameter in lateral view. Fontanelle broad and medium-sized. Head capsule with few short hairs and bristles. Labrum with bristles not organized in rows. Pronotum densely covered with bristles. Mesonotum and metanotum with few bristles, concentrated in the center and posterior margins. Head sepia brown to pale brown, pronotum and tergites pale brown, sternites yellow, legs and wing scales pale brown.

Comparisons. The imago of O. heberi differs from those of the other species by the combination of small ocelli and eyes and a large fontanelle. The most similar species is O. insignis , from which it differs by the labrum with dispersed bristles and oval ocelli, distant from the eyes, and O. longilamina sp. nov. from which it differs by the ocelli less salient.

Soldier. Head sides parallel 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 sparse bristles and short hairs denser in ventral surface, scattered microscopic hairs on surface denser on posterior margin. Posmentum with bristles. Pronotum with short hairs on the surface and bristles on margins, mesonotum and metanotum with bristles and short hairs on posterior margins, abdominal tergites covered with short hairs and bristles, sternites with bristles, longer on posterior margins.

Comparisons. O. heberi soldier is larger than O. brevipilosus , O. longilamina sp. nov., O. macrocephalus , O. okeyma sp. nov. and has parallel head capsule sides (slightly convergent in front in O. insignis and O. uncimandibularis sp. nov., both most similar species).

Geographical distribution. All records of O. heberi are in open formations, like pastures and cerrados ( Fig. 29 ), the record from Manaus, Amazonas State, is in a pasture that opens inside the forest.

Evidence that the holotype was lost: Anthony Raw personally confirmed that the vial containing the holotype was lost and was never deposited in the collection of the University of Brasília

Comments. In the original description the authors mention some institutions as depositories of paratypes, however only in MZUSP do we confirm the presence of the material.

The minor soldiers described by Raw & Egler (1985) are individuals infested by a undetermined species of Acanthocephala. The soldier caste is monomorphic, contrary to the original description.

Material examined. BRAZIL. Amazonas: Manaus: 21.v.1977, A.Bandeira coll. (8321). Distrito Federal: Brasília: 16.vii.1971, Kiniti Kitayama coll., (5415*); 1970 (6998); Fazenda Água Limpa: 29.vi.1980, A. E. Mill coll. (MPEG-1307); 1993, K. Kitayama coll. (UnB-1110, UnB-1111); 17, 19 and 21.xi. 1992, Marcelo Lima coll. (UnB-1115, UnB-1118, UnB-2112*, UnB-1127); 14,15, and 21.xi.1992, Carlos coll. (UnB-1116, UnB-1117, UnB-1121, UnB-1124, UnB-1125); Planaltina– CPAC: 16.iv.1998, V.S. Dias coll. (UnB-942, UnB- 944, UnB-945, UnB-946); Reserva Biológica Águas Emendadas: 10.x.1986, R. Constantino coll. (MPEG- 2635); 20.x.1986, (MPEG-2672*); Reserva Ecológica do IBGE: 18.ix.1998, R. Constantino coll. (UnB-1282, UnB-1293*). Goiás: Parque Nacional das Emas: 9.vii.1980, A. Mill & K. Redford coll. (MPEG-1203*); 28.iii-6.iv.1984, Exp. MZ-IQUSP coll. (8426); 15.i.1986. (9288); 2.v.1980, K.H. Redford coll. (10112*); 25.vii.1983, D. Brandão coll. (UFG-77, UFG-84, UFG-86); 17.i.2004, D.A. Costa coll. (12118); 26.x.2001, R. Constantino coll. (UnB-3016, UnB-3059*, UnB-3061). Minas Gerais: Fazenda Rossato: 27,28. x.2001, R. Constantino coll. (UnB-3082, UnB-3131); Guanhães: 2.iii.1972, R.L. Araujo coll. (5059, 5102, 5124*); Paracatu: 14.ii.1972, K. Kitayama coll. (7366, 7367); São Gotardo: vi.1986, Gilberto F. Corrêa coll. (8850); Uberaba/Uberlândia: 9.xi.1972, R.L. Araujo coll. (5700). Mato Grosso do Sul: Costa Rica: ii.1986, IQUSP coll. (8782). Mato Grosso: Chapada do Guimarães: 11.xi.1982,? coll. (MPEG-2764).

Figures

FIGURE 29. Geographic distribution of O. brevipilosus, O. heberi and O. insignis.