Incisitermes nishimurai, Scheffrahn, Rudolf H., 2014

Scheffrahn, Rudolf H., 2014, Incisitermes nishimurai, a new drywood termite species (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae) from the highlands of Central America, Zootaxa 3878 (5), pp. 471-478 : 472-478

Incisitermes nishimurai , sp. nov.

Holotype: soldier in UF sample no. HN612 from HONDURAS, Parque Nacional La Tigra visitor’s center (14.2201N, 87.0835W), 1658 m elev., 2JUN07; University of Florida Termite collection, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, Davie, Florida.

Paratypes: Two soldiers, 10 alates, and pseudergates in holotype colony; Ten additional colonies, data same as holotype colony, all with pseudergates: HN604 (2 soldiers, 10 alates), HN605 (1 alate,) HN606 (2 soldiers), HN607 (2 soldiers), HN608 (4 soldiers, 10 alates), HN609 (3 soldiers), HN610 (12 alates), HN611 (2 soldiers, 6 alates), HN613 (9 alates), and HN614 (pseudergates only). All collected from dry branches and fence posts. All samples taken collectively by those mentioned in the acknowledgements.

Additional material examined: Incisitermes sp. (may be conspecific with I. nishimurai , see Fig. 2 ): GUATEMALA, Matanzas (15.1157N, 90.1746W), 1653 m elev., 28MAY06, GUA 6 (1 callow soldier, 2 alates, pseudergates), col. J.A. Chase. Incisitermes platycephalus : HONDURAS, Villa San Francisco (14.21084N, 86.9675W), 580 m elev., 6 JUN07, HN 514 (3 soldiers, 9 alates, pseudergates), col. J.R. Mangold. Incisitermes milleri : FLORIDA, John Pennekamp State Park (25.1252N, 80.4072W), 4 m elev., 23APR05 FL 2559 (4 soldiers, 8 alates, pseudergates), col. R.H. Scheffrahn. Incisitermes bequaerti : BAHAMAS: Rum Cay (23.6501N, 74.8271W), 4 m elev., 11NOV02, BA2760 (1 large and 1 small soldier, 15 alates, pseudergates), col. R.H. Scheffrahn. Incisitermes furvus : PUERTO RICO, Guajataca State Park (18.4167N, 66.9667W) 224 m elev., 3JUN93, PR277 (many soldiers and alates, pseudergates), col. J.A. Chase. Incisitermes rhyzophorae : BAHAMAS, Eleuthera Islands, Gert Bay (25.1256N, 76.1220W), 12 m elev., 26MAY03, BA1221 (2 soldiers, 5 alates, pseudergates), col. J. Křeček.

Etymology. This species is named in honor of the late Roy Yoshito Nishimura but recognizes also his immediate family including his widow, Masako nee (Kamikido) Nishimura, and sons Thomas Edwin Nishimura, Dr. Robert Neal Nishimura, and Frederick Ralph Nishimura. In 2002, Tom (“Nish”) joined the University of Florida termite expedition to the central Bahamas and has since been a team member on expeditions to Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Panama (twice), Ecuador, and Bolivia.

Soldier ( Table 1, Figures 3 and 7 ). Monomorphic. In dorsal view, head capsule ferruginous grading to very dark chestnut brown from antennal sockets to postmentum. Mandibles black. Three proximal antennal articles sepia brown; distal articles light brown. Labrum ferruginous. Eye spots very faint, small, and elongate. Pronotum with narrow pale orange-ferruginous periphery. Tibial spurs and pretarsal claws dark. Postmentum chestnut; labrum concolorous with vertex.

Head capsule in dorsal view, subrectangular; lateral margins nearly parallel, broadening slightly in front. Posterior corners of head evenly rounded; posterior margin rectate. In lateral and oblique view, head capsule almost cylindrical with only slight dorsoventral compression; faint depression in middle of posterior frons and anterior vertex. Vertex with weak dorsolateral striations and narrow median furrow broadening toward frons. Frons moderately rugose and dark; sloping from vertex ~ 40º; mandibles curved upward ~15°. Setae very short and sparse on frons and vertex. Periantennal carina rugose; mandibles stout, elongate; dentition well defined but relatively short; right mandible with two distinct submarginal teeth; apical teeth angled 80–90°; basal humps rugose. Labrum linguiform, medium-sized, with short terminal setae. Antennae with 11–13 articles, usually 12; third antennal article subclavate, barely shorter than fourth and fifth combined. Pronotum large, shield-shaped; anterior margin angularly incised; anterolateral corners arching, lateral margins converging to posterior; posterior margin forming very shallow convexity. Femora inflated.

Measurement in mm

(n = 9 from 7 colonies) Range Mean ± S.D. Holotype

Head length to tip of mandibles 3.07–3.71 3.43 ± 0.23 3.42 Head length to postclypeus 2.08–2.57 2.34 ± 0.17 2.45 Head width, maximum 1.23–1.36 1.29 ± 0.037 1.29 Antennal carinae, outside span 1.18–1.36 1.27 ± 0.057 1.29 Labrum, maximum width 0.39–0.44 0.42 ± 0.019 0.43 Pronotum, maximum width 1.06–1.44 1.26 ± 0.12 1.36 Pronotum, maximum length 0.90–1.13 1.03 ± 0.073 1.08 Left mand. length, tip to ventral condyle 1.31–1.47 1.40 ± 0.070 1.32 Postmentum, maximum width 0.49–0.59 0.53 ± 0.032 0.59 Postmentum, minimum width 0.16–0.21 0.19 ± 0.015 0.17 Postmentum, length in middle 1.49–1.67 1.59 ± 0.09 1.64 Head height, excluding postmentum 1.00–1.13 1.07 ± 0.044 1.10 Third antennal article length 0.13–0.17 0.16 ± 0.012 0.16 Hind tibia length 0.90–1.10 1.00 ± 0.068 1.03 Hind femur length 0.78–0.93 0.87 ± 0.049 0.93 Hind femur width 0.38–0.59 0.48 ± 0.070 0.51 Total length 8.09–9.37 8.80 ± 0.47 8.80 Comparisons. The soldier of I. nishimurai differs from other congeners by the dark and phragmotic surface of the anterior head capsule encompassing the frons, antennal carinae, and mandible bases. The soldier of I. nishimurai is the largest among species with dark imagos of neotropical species ( I. milleri , I. furvus , I. platycephalus (= I. nigritus ), I. bequaerti , and I. rhyzophorae ) ( Scheffrahn et al. 2006). Additionally, soldiers of I. bequaerti and I. platycephalus have more dorsoventrally flattened heads while I. furvus , I. milleri , and I. rhyzophorae have proportionally longer third antennal articles.

Winged Imago ( Table 2, Figures 4–7 ). Entire dorsum of live specimen bodies ( Fig. 7 , see comparisons below) very dark chestnut brown. Overlapping wings chestnut brown; wing membrane with brown or bronze iridescence. Ventral body surface with slight lightening near midline and soft tissues. Femora dark chestnut brown, tibia, and tarsi pale brown. Preserved specimens ( Fig. 4 ) with dorsum of head and pronotum chestnut brown, postmentum pale yellow brown, and labrum yellow brown. Eyes black; ocelli ferruginous. Mesonotum with distinct median line. Antennal articles concolorous with labrum with the exception of a darker third article.

Head subquadrate in dorsal outline; cranial sutures absent. Vertex with broadly triangulate area of rugosity; eyes proportionally small, slightly protruding, and distinctly subtriangular. Ocelli small, elliptical, nearly touching eye. Antennae with 14–16 articles; formula 2<3>4=5. Pronotum with weak rugosity along lateral lobes. Anterior and posterior margins of pronotum very shallowly concave; sides nearly parallel. In some specimens, posterior corners of pronotum subtruncate. Markings on pronotum indistinct. Fore wing radius ( Fig. 5 ) reaching wing margin about at two-fifths wing length from suture; radial sector with 6–9 anterior branches. Wing membrane between veins covered with tiny round papillae. Small arolia present. Mandible dentition typical of genus ( Fig. 6 ).

Comparisons. Among uniformly dark-bodied Incisitermes species, I. nishimurai has the largest imago ( Scheffrahn 1994, Scheffrahn et al. 2006). The femora of I. milleri and I. bequaerti are lighter than those of I. nishimurai . The I. platycephalus wing has greenish iridescence rather than the brownish or bronze sheen of I. nishimurai . Incisitermes furvus ( Puerto Rico) and I. rhyzophorae ( Bahamas and Cuba) are not known from the mainland.

Note on coloration. I have observed that coloration of termite imagos, especially kalotermitids, will begin to fade over time (compare Fig. 4 of a 6.5 year old imago to Fig. 7 of live specimens). Pigmentation of both the body cuticle and wings will lighten by several grades ( Sands 1965) over years of storage. This can be accelerated when the sample is exposed to room light and even more from sunlight for long periods. The availability of inexpensive digital cameras with macro flash features allows live specimen coloration to be captured ( Fig. 7 ) with little effort before they are preserved.

Measurement in mm

(n = 5, 3 males, 2 females from 2 colonies) Range Mean ± S.D.

Head length with labrum 1.34–1.42 1.38 ± 0.035 Head length to postclypeus 1.11–1.16 1.13 ± 0.021 Head width, maximum at eyes 1.13–1.21 1.16 ± 0.037 Eye diameter with sclerite, maximum 0.29–0.32 0.31 ± 0.012 Eye to head base, minimum from sclerite 0.15–0.20 0.17 ± 0.025 Ocellus diameter, maximum 0.11–0.13 0.12 ± 0.012 Pronotum, maximum width 1.14–1.24 1.21 ± 0.042 Pronotum, maximum length 0.82–0.85 0.83 ± 0.18 Total length with wings 11.93–12.78 12.81 ± 0.35 Total length without wings 6.53–6.82 6.67 ± 0.12 Fore wing length from suture 8.38–8.66 8.55 ± 0.12 Fore wing, maximum width 2.01–2.21 2.12 ± 0.07 Discussion

At over 1600 m, the elevation of both the Honduran type locality and the suspected Guatemalan site (single callow soldier) for I. nishimurai exceeds the limit of most termites. No other termite species was found at the type locality (Parque Nacional La Tigre) and only Marginitermes cactiphagus Myles (see Scheffrahn and Postle 2013) was collected at the Matanzas, Guatemala, site. The inverse relationship between provincial elevation and termite diversity is well known. For example, Palin et al. (2011) reported a sharp decrease in termite diversity in Peru as elevation increased from 190 to 1500 m and found no termites above 1550 m. On Mount Giting-Giting, Philippines, Thomas & Proctor (1997) found a few termite species at 1240 m and none ≥ 1540 m. In Sumatra, Gathorne-Hardy et al. (2001) found the least termite diversity at 1400 m (5 spp.) compared to lower elevations on the island (>30 spp.).

Some neotropical kalotermitids, like I. nishimurai , appear to be higher elevation specialists including Comatermes perfectus (Hagen) (up to 1646 m in Colombia), a new Glyptotermes from Guatemala (1668 m), and an undescribed Neotermes from Venezuela (1831 m) (Scheffrahn et al., unpublished). The most extreme example of a high-elevation kalotermitid, possibly even of all Isoptera , may be that of Rugitermes laticollis Snyder. When describing this species from a donated museum sample, Snyder (1957) may have overlooked the significance of its type locality being “La Paz, Bolivia ” which, at 3,400 to 4,000 m, is one of the highest large cities on earth.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Map of Central America showing the type locality for Incisitermes nishimurai, a second likely locality for I. nishimurai (see material examined), and localities for all Incisitermes species in the UF termite collection.

FIGURE 3. Dorsal, lateral and ventral view of Incisitermes nishimurai soldier head (HN 608).

FIGURE 4. Dorsal and lateral view of Incisitermes nishimurai imago head and pronotum (HN 610).

FIGURE 5. Wings of Incisitermes nishimurai imago (HN 620).

FIGURE 6. Dorsal view of Incisitermes nishimurai imago mandibles. Arrows mark cutting edges of marginal teeth.

FIGURE 7. Habitus of live Incisitermes nishimurai showing castes in various aspects.