Cyrilliotermes crassinasus, Constantino, Reginaldo & Carvalho, Sérgio H. C., 2012

Constantino, Reginaldo & Carvalho, Sérgio H. C., 2012, A taxonomic revision of the Neotropical termite genus Cyrilliotermes Fontes (Isoptera, Termitidae, Syntermitinae), Zootaxa 3186, pp. 25-41 : 31-35

Cyrilliotermes crassinasus new species

Holotype. Soldier, iii.1945, J. Pinheiro leg.

Type-locality. BRAZIL. São Paulo. Guatapará, Horto Florestal de Guarani (21.42°S, 48.1°W).

Type depository. AMNH

Paratypes. Soldiers and workers, same data as holotype.

Etymology. from the Latin crassus, thick, and nasus, nose.

Imago. Unknown.

Soldier ( Figs. 5 A–B, 6, 9D). Head capsule yellow to ferruginous, paler on vertex; apical region of nasus darker. Antenna yellowish, becoming a little darker towards tip. Thorax, legs and abdomen mostly transparent, unpigmented. Head capsule with about 14 sparse bristles of variable size, and two long bristles below base of nasus; short hairs absent ( Fig. 6 ). Postclypeus with about 4 bristles. Tip of nasus with a ring of short hairs around pore. Apical portion of nasus with scattered microscopic hairs. Pronotum, mesonotum and metanotum with long bristles on margins. Tergites and sternites with a row of long bristles near posterior margin and many shorter ones over surface. Head capsule nearly oval in dorsal view, widest near middle. Nasus long, upturned, broadly conical, and wrinkled with transverse ridges near tip. Mandibles with a short M1; edge between A and M1 straight; distance between left A and M1 a little longer than the distance between M1 and M2. Relative length of antennal articles: 1> 6> 2> 5> 3> 4; combined length of 3rd + 4th longer than 6th; 3rd just a little longer than 4th (may look the same length under low magnification). Measurements in Table 2.

Worker ( Figs. 5 C–D, 10C, 12E–F). Head capsule rounded hemi-ellipsoid, with convex sides, narrowing posteriorly. Postclypeus conspicuously inflated. Relative length of antennal articles: 1> 6> 2> 5> 3> 4, combined length of 3rd + 4th about the same length as 6th. Cushions of enteric valve armature of relatively uniform width and with rounded tip; spines are relatively long and mostly straight ( Fig. 12 F). Measurements in Table 3.

Comparisons. The soldier of C. crassinasus can easily be distinguished from the other species by its broadly conical, upturned nasus. The worker is very similar to those of C. strictinasus and C. brevidens and apparently cannot be distinguished based on external morphology.

Remarks. The type-locality of this species was an old forest station (Horto Florestal de Guarani, Fig. 14 ), which has long been deactivated. These specimens were examined by Alfred E. Emerson, who labelled them as a new species of Curvitermes . They are old and fragile, and their coloration has been altered.

Figures

FIGURES 5. Cyrilliotermes crassinasus, sp. n. Soldier. A, head in profile; B, head and pronotum in dorsal view. Worker. C, head in dorsal view; D, head in profile.

FIGURES 6. Cyrilliotermes crassinasus, sp. n. Soldier. A, head and pronotum in dorsal view; B, head in profile.

FIGURES 12. Enteric valve armature. A – B, Cyrilliotermes angulariceps; C – D, C. brevidens, sp. n.; E – F, C. crassinasus, sp. n.; G – H, C. strictinasus. C – F were from old specimens and became flattened when mounted.

FIGURE 14. Geographic range of Cyrilliotermes angulariceps, C. brevidens, sp. n., and C. crassinasus, sp. n. The double symbol indicates the type-localities.