Rhynchotermes piauy Cancello

Constantini, Joice P. & Cancello, Eliana M., 2016, A taxonomic revision of the Neotropical termite genus Rhynchotermes (Isoptera, Termitidae, Syntermitinae), Zootaxa 4109 (5), pp. 501-522 : 518-520

Rhynchotermes piauy Cancello

Rhynchotermes piauy Cancello 1997: 153 –156 (soldier, fig. 7–10; worker mandible, fig. 11); Krishna et al. 2013: 1475 (catalog).

Holotype. Soldier. 10 km N of Corrente, Fazenda Maracujá, 26.xi.1991, E. M. Cancello & M. T. Ponte col, MZUSP 10090.

Type locality. BRAZIL. Piauí: Corrente.

Paratypes. Same data as holotype (12 soldiers and 39 workers), MZUSP 10091 (25 soldiers and 22 workers); 10092 (6 soldiers and 24 workers); 10093 (8 soldiers and 13 workers); 10094 (2 soldiers and 2 workers); 10095 (2 soldiers and 13 workers); 10096 (3 soldiers and 5 workers).

Imago. Unknown.

Soldier ( Fig. 3 I, 4I, 5I). Described and illustrated by Cancello 1997: 153–156. Additional measurements given in table 3.

Worker ( Fig. 8 D). Described by Cancello 1997: 153–156. Additional measurements given in table 2.

Biological notes. Rhynchotermes piauy was first collected in logs and under leaf-litter. They were observed in constructions resembling those describe by Silvestri (1903), especially during a collect trip in Parque Nacional Grande Sertão Veredas. Most of these constructions were exposed just below the litter with very delicate carton parts. Many ( Fig. 11 A) were found with numerous juveniles but neither the royal pair nor eggs were found. At one of the sites, the constructions were in an area with sand about twenty centimeters below the ground, so the area about one meter around was dug up, where a few more of these constructions were found. Very thin tunnels were also found throughout the excavation site where workers and soldiers of R. piauy emerged. The holotype was collected under decaying bark in an agglomerate of thin roots and sand. The paratypes were collected in litter, under logs and in the soil.

Comparisons. (see under R. nasutissimus and R. matraga ).

Other material examined. BRAZIL. Federal District: Fazenda Água Limpa, 22. iv. 1999, R. A. Calderon leg., UnB 2240; 20.v.1999, UnB 2238; Minas Gerais: Buritis, Fazenda São Miguel, lat 15.9727S, long 46.5350W, 01.viii.2002, R. A. Calderon leg., UnB 4811, 4845; Chapada Gaúcha, lat 15.1801S, long 45.6506W, 10.x.2012, R. G. Santos col., MZUSP 16127; lat 15.3368S, long 45.8231W, 12.x.2012, MZUSP 16128; lat 15.4131S, long 45.9169W, J. P. Constantini col., MZUSP 16134; lat 15.1811S, long 45.6504W, 10.x.2012, MZUSP 16126; lat 15.4239S, long 45.8900W, 14.x.2012, T. F. Carrijo col., MZUSP 16133; lat 15.2645S, long 45.6500W, 10.x.2012, MZUSP 16131; João Pinheiro, 11.xi.1998, N. R. A. Castro leg., UnB 1764; Lagoa Santa, 13.viii.1992, T. A. Gontijo col., UFV 5245; Paracatu, Fazenda Rossato, lat 17.3950S, long 47.2761W, 27.x.2001, R. Constantino leg., UnB 3101; Serra das Araras, lat 15.6156S, long 45.3625W, 09.x.2012, R. G. Santos col., MZUSP 16135; Uberlândia, Próximo à UNITRI, 20.vii.2009, M. M. Rocha col., MZUSP 16129; Piauí: Corrente, 10 km N, Fazenda Maracujá, 26.xi.1991, C. R. F. Brandão col., MZUSP 10097; Floriano, Fazenda Buriti-Sol, 5.xi.1991, MZUSP 10343; Bom Jesus, Rodovia Transcerrado, 09.xi.2010, R. Constantino leg., UnB 7877.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Soldier head capsule dorsal view. A: Rhynchotermes amazonensis sp. nov. (major soldier, MZUSP 12800), B: idem (minor soldier, idem), C: R. bulbinasus (major soldier, MZUSP 16115), D: R. diphyes (major soldier, MZUSP 15934), E: idem (minor soldier, idem), F: R. matraga sp. nov. (MZUSP 16125), G: R. nasutissimus (lectotype DEZA), H: R. perarmatus (MZUSP 16114) and I: R. piauy (MZUSP 16126). Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 8. Worker: A: Rhynchotermes perarmatus (MZUSP 16114), habitus, B: idem, head capsule in dorsal view, C: idem, head capsule in lateral view and D: R. piauy mandibles. Scale bars: A, 1.0 mm; B and C, 0.5 mm; D, 0.1 mm.