Termitogeton planus (Haviland, 1898)

Bourguignon, Thomas & Roisin, Yves, 2011, Revision of the termite family Rhinotermitidae (Isoptera) in New Guinea, ZooKeys 148, pp. 55-103 : 82

Termitogeton planus (Haviland, 1898) Figs 8893

Termes planus Haviland 1898: 397.

Termes ( Termitogeton ) planus Haviland. Desneux 1904a: 373-374.

Termitogeton planus (Haviland). Holmgren 1911b: 75.

Material examined.

Syntypes: MALAYSIA:Sarawak: Santubong, 16.ix.1894 (G.D. Haviland) (type No. 164, CUMZ, collection data from Harris 1966). Other material:INDONESIA: Papua:Pusppenssat-IrJa (YR): 13.xi.1995 (#IRJT23, in large log on the ground, with alates); 14.xi.1995 (#IRJT26, in large rotten red wood log, with nymphs; #IRJT29); 16.xi.1995 (#IRJT60, small colony with queen); 25.xi.1995 (#IRJT155, 156, 157); 30.xi.1995 (#IRJT202, large colony with alates, nymphs, one neotenic reproductive, in standing dead tree, hard red wood): 01.xii.1995 (#IRJT214, with queen and neotenic reproductives; #IRJT215, 216); Road Nabire-Mapia km 43, 26.xi.1995 (YR) (#IRJT173, 174, in hard red wood). Several of the Indonesian samples mentioned above, then identified as Termitogeton nr. planus, were previously used in a study of caste patterns (Parmentier & Roisin 2003).

Imago.

(Fig. 90). Very small. Overall body covered by many small setae. Head narrower anteriorly than posteriorly, heart-shaped. Large eyes. Ocelli in front of eyes. Antennae generally with 9 to 15 articles. Pronotum approximately half as broad as head, with a small projection forward. Measurements (mm) of 4 imagoes from the type colony and 10 imagoes from 2 colonies (parentheses): TBL: 3.23-3.94 (3.19-3.94); HLC: 0.59-0.63 (0.59-0.70); HWE: 0.82-0.85 (0.85-0.93); PL: 0.27-0.28 (0.28-0.30); PW: 0.39-0.45 (0.43-0.51); FWL: n.a. (4.93-5.23); ED: 0.14-0.18 (0.18-0.23).

Soldier.

(Figs 88-89, 91-92). Overall body covered by many small setae. Head heart-shaped. Labrum elongated, pointed at the tip, narrow at the basis, broadest apical one-third. Antennae with 11 to 15 articles. Pronotum half as broad as head, elongated anteriorly in the middle. Mandibles short, without marginal teeth, slightly curved at tip. Measurements (mm) 4 soldiers from the type colony and 32 soldiers from 8 colonies (parentheses): HLC: 1.16-1.27 (1.10-1.37); HW: 1.21-1.31 (1.12-1.48); PW: 0.51-0.55 (0.45-0.58); LML: 0.71-0.73 (0.75-0.86); PML: 0.87-0.94 (0.77-0.97); mPW: 0.10-0.13 (0.11-0.15); T3L: 0.58-0.62 (0.51-0.65).

Distribution.

(Fig. 93).In New Guinea, this species was only collected in the bird’s neck area (western Indonesian Papua). Originally described from from Sarawak ( Haviland 1898), it is also known from Sabah ( Thapa 1982) and Peninsular Malaysia ( Tho 1992).

Key to New Guinean Rhinotermitidae species, based on the soldier caste