Revision of the Termitinae with snapping soldiers (Isoptera: Termitidae) from New Guinea
Author
Bourguignon, Thomas
Author
Leponce, Maurice
Author
Roisin, Yves
text
Zootaxa
2008
1769
1
34
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.182093
1a1e990f-a68a-4614-a8c1-c0ccabc38ba0
1175-5326
182093
Pericapritermes
cf.
schultzei
(Holmgren)
(
Figs 29–32
,
67
)
Capritermes Schultzei
Holmgren, 1911
: 462
.
Pericapritermes schultzei
(Holmgren)
.
Krishna, 1968
: 294
.
Type
material.
We did not have the possibility to examine the
type
specimens of this species. They were presumably deposited in the Museum für Naturkunde, Humboldt Universität, Berlin, but could not be found there.
Holmgren (1911)
cites "Sepik (
1570m
über dem Meere,
Nov. 1910
, Schultze)" as collection data. In his report of the
German
–Dutch border expedition of 1910, Schultze actually mentions finding a new
Capritermes
on the top of the Peripatus mountain (
Schultze Jena 1914
: 74).
As
date and altitude correspond, the Peripatus summit (
4°48'S
,
141°10'E
) should be considered as
type
locality for
P. s c h u l t z e i
(
Fig. 67
).
Many samples from New Guinean hills or mountains are compatible with Holmgren's (1911) description, although variation in size and shape is substantial between, or sometimes within, colonies. Therefore, it is so far not possible to determine the limits of this species accurately. Provisionally, these series will be collectively labelled
P
. cf.
schultzei
.
Material examined.
PAPUA
NEW
GUINEA
. Authors' collection.
Morobe.
#
PNGT
196: Kaiapit,
20.ii.1983
, JMP and YR. #
PNGT
1082: Bulolo,
22.v.1987
, YR. #
PNGT
1231: Bulolo, Mt Susu Nature Reserve (alt.
1000m
),
17.v.1988
, YR.
ANIC
.
Southern Highlands.
#10–8583: Mendi,
vii.1956
, DAJ. #10–8621: Tari,
xii.1955
, DAJ. #10–8622: Mendi,
xii.1955
, DAJ. –
Eastern Highlands.
#10–11018: Asirangka (alt.
1650m
),
1.ii.1963
, JHB & Kenampi Rapoke; #10–11019: Namura,
3.i.1963
, JHB, A.E. & E. Emerson. –
Morobe.
#10– 14822: Bulolo,
4.xii.1973
, FRW & P. Shanahan.
AMNH
.
Madang.
Wanuma (alt.
660m
),
2.viii.1969
, R. Zweifel.
Diagnosis.
Samples included in this group can be distinguished from congeners by their medium size and slightly hairy soldier head capsule (
Figs 29–30
), and by the worker enteric valve bearing very many small, spotlike spines (
Fig. 32
).
Imago.
Unknown
Soldier
(
Figs. 29–30
). Head capsule elongated, widest at the middle, rounded at corner, covered by 20 to 30 medium size setae. Frons flat, without hump. Fontanelle small, dotlike. Labrum short, with 4 setae at the apex. Postmentum narrow and elongated, with widest part 2.5 times wider than the narrowest part. Tip of right mandible pointed. Antennae 14-segmented. Thorax and abdomen fairly hairy. Measurements as in
Table 12
.
Worker
(
Figs 31, 32
). Enteric valve well developed but not heavily armed, covered by many small spotlike spines. Measurements as in
Table 18
.
Distribution
(
Fig. 67
). Samples included in this group were found mostly in hill forest in northern New
Guinea
and in the Highlands.