Parrhinotermes barbatus, Bourguignon, Thomas & Roisin, Yves, 2011

Bourguignon, Thomas & Roisin, Yves, 2011, Revision of the termite family Rhinotermitidae (Isoptera) in New Guinea, ZooKeys 148, pp. 55-103 : 70

Parrhinotermes barbatus sp. n. Figs 5055

Holotype.

Soldier: PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Southern Highlands: Lake Kutubu, 11.x.1988 (YR) (#PNGT1285). Paratypes: PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Southern Highlands: Lake Kutubu, 11.x.1988 (YR), two colonies, one with alates, the other one with late nymphs (#PNGT1285, 1286); Lake Kutubu, 12.x.1988 (YR), with late nymphs (#PNGT1292); Lake Kutubu, 13.x.1988 (YR), with late nymphs (#PNGT1296); Pimaga, 16.x.1988 (YR) (#PNGT1306); Pimaga, 17.x.1988 (YR), with late nymphs (#PNGT1315); Fly: Nomad, 31.v.1990 (YR & ML), two colonies in dead wood, with queen (#PNGT1628, 1630); Nomad, 31.v.1990 (YR & ML) (#PNGT1650). INDONESIA: Papua: Road Nabire-Mapia km 62, 18.xi.1995 (YR) (#IRJT71).

Imago.

(Fig. 50). Head covered by about 15 setae with posterior margin strongly rounded, frons and clypeus of medium size. Pronotum covered by about 100 setae (Fig. 52). Antennae with 17 articles. Measurements (mm) of 6 imagoes from 1 colony: TBL: 5.23-6.02; HLC: 1.06-1.10; HWE: 1.24-1.27; PL: 0.44-0.65; PW: 0.85-0.98; FWL: 8.02-8.84; ED: 0.27-0.39.

Soldier.

(Figs 51-54). Head ellipsoid, covered by about 50 small setae. Labrum elongated, reaching the tip of mandibles, ending in a rounded brush. Postmentum covered by setae from the base to the upper part. Antennae with 13 articles. Mandibles straight, slightly curved at tip, slightly serrated at base. Measurements (mm) of 30 soldiers from 10 colonies: HLC: 1.11-1.33; HLL: 1.51-1.75; HW: 0.95-1.12; PW: 0.53-0.65; RML: 0.66-0.79; MPW: 0.25-0.34; mPW: 0.16-0.22; T3L: 0.74-0.90.

Comparisons.

This species is distinguishable from Parrhinotermes browni and Parrhinotermes queenslandicus Mjöberg, 1920 by the postmentum of soldiers, completely covered by setae.

Distribution.

(Fig. 55). This species is common in southern New Guinean forests, and was also collected once in Indonesian Papua.

Termitophiles.

The four species of Parrhinopsenius found with Parrhinotermes browni were also found with this species, previously referred to as Parrhinotermes nr. queenslandicus ( Bourguignon et al. 2007).

Etymology.

We named this species after the latin “barba”, referring to the postmentum of its soldiers fully covered by setae.