Cryptotermespugnus (Blattodea, Isoptera, Kalotermitidae), a new drywood termite species from the Brazilian Caatinga dry forest and key to South American Cryptotermes Banks, 1909

Rudolf H Scheffrahn; Alexandre Vasconcellos

doi:10.3897/zookeys.1182.108243

Cryptotermespugnus (Blattodea, Isoptera, Kalotermitidae), a new drywood termite species from the Brazilian Caatinga dry forest and key to South American Cryptotermes Banks, 1909

Zookeys. 2023 Oct 11:1182:11-18. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.1182.108243. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Rudolf H Scheffrahn¹, Alexandre Vasconcellos²

Affiliations

¹ Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, 3205 College Avenue Davie, Florida 33314, USA University of Florida Davie United States of America.
² Laboratório de Termitologia, Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, Centro de Ciências Exatas e da Natureza, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Paraíba, Brazil Universidade Federal da Paraíba João Pessoa Brazil.

Abstract

A new termite species, Cryptotermespugnussp. nov., is described from northeastern Brazil. The winged imago of C.pugnus is distinguished from most congeners by the lack of arolia and the multiple branches connecting the median vein to the radial sector. The soldier is unique among South American Cryptotermes by its cuboidal head capsule and very rugose postclypeus. The new species constitutes the fourteenth Cryptotermes species on the continent for which we provide a key to soldiers.

Keywords: Arolium; Bahia; Paraíba; South America; imago; soldier; venation.

Rudolf H. Scheffrahn, Alexandre Vasconcellos.