Coptotermocola clavicornis Kanao, Eldredge & Maruyama

Kanao, Taisuke, Eldredge, K. Taro & Maruyama, Munetoshi, 2012, Two new genera and species of the termite symbiont lineage Termitohospitini (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae) from Bolivia and peninsular Malaysia, ZooKeys 254, pp. 67-87 : 77-81

Coptotermocola clavicornis Kanao, Eldredge & Maruyama sp. n. Figures 24-49

Type material.

Holotype:♂, "MALAYSIA: Selangor,/Ulu Gombak, 03°19'479"N; 101°45'170"E,/ca. 240 m alt., X July 2011,/T. Kanao leg. KT-261". Abdominal segments VIII–X dissected off.

Paratypes:6??, MALAYSIA: same data as the holotype, one specimen is preserved in 99.5% EtOH; ♀, same locality data as the holotype, differing data reads "XXI May 2010,/ T. Kanao leg. KT-33", fully disarticulated; 3??, same locality data as the holotype, differing data reads "XXIX May 2012,/ T. Kanao leg. KT-312", one specimen is preserved in 99.5% EtOH.

All type specimens are deposited in the Kyushu University Museum.

Diagnosis.

This species is diagnosable based on the generic diagnosis above.

Description.

Body (Figs 24-27) approximately 2 mm in length (1.71-2.16 mm, N = 4) almost uniformly reddish brown, but head slightly darker. Dorsal surface of head (Fig. 28) glabrous, sparsely covered with pores, with 3 pairs of long setae at anterior margin of clypeus; ventral surface (Fig. 28) with several setae behind eyes. Antennomere (Fig. 29) I sparsely covered with pseudopores and several macrosetae; antennomere II with 6-7 long macrosetae, 2 of them stronger and several pores present; antennomeres III–X sparsely covered with setae and 3-4 macrosetae present; antennomere XI sparsely covered with setae, with several macrosetae on dorsal and ventral surface near apex, pores present centrally on lateral surface. Labral (Fig. 30) surface with 14-16 setae, anterolateral marginal and near-middle pairs conspicuously stronger. Epipharynx (Fig. 30) with a pair of setulae present on anterolateral corner and three pairs of lateral marginal setulae. Mandibles (Figs 31-32) with seta present at aboral basolateral margin. Maxillary (Fig. 33) lacinia mesally with two pores and basally with 3 setae present; galea with 2 pores apically; maxillary palpal article I with a medial pore, article II sparsely covered with setae and longer setae present on apical margin, article III sparsely covered with longer and shorter setae.

Pronotum (Fig. 36) transverse (pronotum length = 0.55-0.62 mm, pronotum width = 0.91-1.02 mm, N = 6) with 11 pairs of macrosetae. Elytra (Fig. 37) subquadrate (elytra length = 0.50-0.60 mm, elytra width = 0.51-0.63, N = 6), disc laterally sparsely setose, 2 lateral and 3 discal pairs of macrosetae present. Mesoventrite (Fig. 38) with central and lateral setose areas. Metaventrite (Fig. 38) with posterolateral setose area. Fore leg (Fig. 40) with coxa sparsely setose and 5 long macrosetae present at apical margin; trochanter and femur sparsely covered with setae; tibia covered with setae, density increasing apically, 5 apical spurs present; tarsus with few setae. Mid leg (Fig. 41) with coxa sparsely setose, 2 macrosetae at apex; trochanter sparsely covered with setae; femur overall setose, macroseta present venterobasally; tibia covered with setae, density increasing apically, with 7 strong setae present dorsally and apically with basal three dorsal setae longest; tarsomeres with 3-4 setae at apical margin. Hind leg (Fig. 42) with coxa mostly setose and with approximately 10 macrosetae along femoral cavity margin; trochanter partially setose and with 2 macrosetae along ventrolateral margin; femur overall setose, one macroseta near base and three macrosetae apically present; tibia sparsely covered with setae, with 7 strong setae present dorsally and apically, basal three dorsal setae longest; tarsomeres with 3-4 micro- and 2 macrosetae present at apical margin.

Tergites III–VIII (Fig. 25, 43) laterally setose and medially glabrous. Macrochaetotaxy of abdominal tergites III–VIII = 2-4-4-4-4-4; paratergites setose. Tergite VIII (Fig. 43) with a pair of discal and two pairs of apical macroseta present. Sternite VIII (Fig. 44) sparsely setose and with one discal and three marginal macrosetae. Tergite IX (Fig. 45) with 3 pairs of macrosetae at apex and lateral margin; tergite X (Fig. 45) disc sparsely covered with minute setae and 4 pair of macrosetae near apex.

Male. Median lobe of aedeagus (Figs 46-47) copulatory piece flagellate, suspensoria associated with lateral base of copulatory piece. Paramere (Fig. 48) condylite with pores basally; apical lobe with 4 setae present.

Female. Spermatheca (Fig. 49) apical bulb surface with transverse wrinkle-like sculpture; stalk basal to membranous area three times as long as apical bulb.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is derived from a combination of the Latin noun clava meaning “club” and Latin adjective cornis meaning "to be horned", in reference to the diagnostic robust antennae of the species. The gender is feminine.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality Ulu Gombak, Selangor, Malaysia.

Host species.

All specimens were collected from the nest of Coptoptermes gestroi (Wasmann, 1896). Ahmad (1965), Kirton and Brown (2003) and Tho (1992) was consulted for host identification.

Ecology.

Specimens acquired during the KT261 collecting event were collected from the galleries of the host termites within a rotting log. The galleries were large and arranged in a complex manner. Another specimen (KT33) was collected from a trail of the hosts that occupied the exterior of a large log. KT312 specimens were collected from a rotting log occupied by the host termites. All Coptotermes colonies that yielded Coptotermes clavicornis were located near rivers where the habitat in general was comparatively more moist compared to its surroundings.

All Coptotermes clavicornis specimens moved faster than their host termites. They did not avoid contact with hosts but instead recurved their abdomens over their bodies when they came into contact. The inquilines wedged themselves under their hosts on several occasions, but the host termites regaurdless never attacked the beetles.