Proneotermes latifrons (Silvestri, 1901)

Casalla, Robin, Scheffrahn, Rudolf H. & Korb, Judith, 2016, Proneotermesmacondianus, a new drywood termite from Colombia and expanded distribution of Proneotermes in the Neotropics (Isoptera, Kalotermitidae), ZooKeys 623, pp. 43-60 : 51-52

Taxon classification Animalia Isoptera Kalotermitidae

Proneotermes latifrons (Silvestri, 1901)

Material examined.

Venezuela: Bolivar State, El Pauji: 4.4675°N, 61.5947°W, 600m, 25.VII.2003, J Perozo, University of Florida no. SA336: 2 soldiers and pseudergates. Falcon State, La Chapa: 11.2657°N, 69.6022°W, 703m, 27.V.2008, Scheffrahn et al., VZ833, 2 soldiers, pseudergates. Lara State, Copeyal: 10.4409°N, 69.4402°W, 590m, 28.V.2008, Scheffrahn et al., VZ1014, 10 soldiers, pseudergates. Yaracuy State, Licua: 10.3377°N, 69.1344°W, 650m, 30.V.2008, Scheffrahn et al., VZ1180-11183, 4 colonies, many soldiers, pseudergates.

Soldier

(Fig. 4 D–F, Table 6). Head in dorsal view with frons dark glossy until faint bridge, grading from ferruginous orange to orange-yellow toward vertex. Postclypeus whitish at borders. Mandibles black anteriorly and reddish brown at hump. Head in lateral view with dark ferruginous orange, then turns orange to genal region. Head in ventral view with postmentum chestnut-dark brown and whitish at anterior border and genal margin pale orange. Eye spots distinct, unpigmented. Pronotum hyaline with sclerotized borders. First three antennal segments darker.

Head subsquare with sides slightly convergent, posteriorly and rounded to vertex. Frontal area wide and long, occupies ca 2/5 of head length to postclypeus; narrowly depressed in center, and laterally view with faintly convex and few undulations, sloping angle ca. 50° near to postclypeus. Labrum short and sub-squared. Antennal socket protruded with third antennal segment longer and sclerotized, formula 2<3>4=5=6 and 11 articulations. Postmentum very broad in front. Pronotum as broad as head with anterior emarginated. Mandibles strong and curved inward ca. 45-50°. Measurements are reported in Table 6.

Comparisons.

Soldiers of Proneotermes latifrons are separated from congeners in having a wide and darker convex frons with narrow undulations dorso-laterally. Postclypeus whitish at border, labrum wider than long and darker postmentum. Proneotermes latifrons is distributed in Venezuela, while Proneotermes perezi is widely distributed in Central America, from Guatemala to Panama (Fig. 1).