Key to the soldiers of South American Heterotermes with a new species from Brazil (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) REGINALDO CONSTANTINO A soldier-basedkey to the South American species of Heterotermes is presented. Six species are recognized: H. assu sp. n., H. convexinotatus,H. crinitus, H. longiceps, H. sulcatus and H. tenuis. H. assu sp. n., is described from the BrazilianAtlantic forest, including the imago, soldier and worker castes. H. assu is also recorded from urban areas as a pest. The imago of H. longiceps is described and illustrated for the first time. The soldiers of all species are illus- trated and their known distribution mapped, with several new records. R. Constantino,Departamento de Zoologia, Universidadede Brasilia,70910-900 Brasília, DF, Brazil (e-mail: [email protected]). Introduction The genus Heterotermes Froggatt, 1900 has about inotatus. Most of these species were initially 50 described species from all major tropical and included in the genus Leucotermes Silvestri, 1901, subtropical regions of the World. Heteroter-mes which was later synonymized with Heterotermes and Reticulitermes Holmgren, 1913 are currently by Light (1933). Light (1933) described also H. the only genera placed in Heterotermitinae. maculatus from Mexico. Emerson ( 1971 ) stated Reticulitermes is restricted to the northern temper- that H. convexinotatus should be treated as a sub- ate zone, while Heterotermes is essentially tropi- species of H. aureus, but most authors still treat cal. Both Heterotermes and Reticuliter-mes are the former as a full species. Mathews (1977), economically important, including some of the described another species, H. sulcatus, from cen- major pest termites in many regions. There are 9 tral Brazil, and also redescribed H. longiceps. described species of Heteroter-mes in the New Species of Heterotermes are among the most World, 5 of them occurring in South America widespread termites in South America, being (Constantino 1998). abundant both in natural and urban environments. The New World species of Heterotermes were Several South American species, especially H. first revised by Snyder (1924), who recognized 6 tenuis, have been reported to be important both as species: H. aureus (Snyder, 1920), from southern agricultural and structural pests. Despite their eco- United States and northern Mexico, H. convexino- nomic importance, and contrasting with the vast tatus (Snyder, 1924), from southern Mexico and amount of literature on Reticulitermes, the biolo- Central America, H. cardini (Snyder, 1924), from gy and geographic distribution of Heterotermes the Bahamas, H. crinitus (Emerson, 1925), from species remains poorly known. Guyana, H. longiceps (Snyder, 1924), from cen- In this paper, a soldier-based key to the South tral Brazil, and H. tenuis (Hagen, 1858), which is American species of Heterotermes is presented, widespread in South America. Snyder's (1924) and a new species is described from the Brazilian revision did not include H. insularis (Wasmann, Atlantic forest. The imago of H. longiceps is 1903), from Cocos Island, Costa Rica, and he sug- described for the first time, and new distribution gested that it could be a synonym of H. convex- records are added for other species. 464 Methods - Pronotum with hairs only on margins (Fig. 1- 5) ............................................................................4 Drawings were prepared with a camera lucida 2. Tergites with a line of bristles on posterior attached to a dissection microscope. Measure- margin and numerous microscopic hairs on ments were taken with a micrometric reticle on the surface, width of head 0.79-0.84 mm; Colom- bia and Venezuela(Fig. 9, 14, 20) ................... eyepiece of a dissection microscope. Measure- .....................................................H. convexinotatus ments presented in Tab. 1 correspond to the fol- - Tergites with a line of bristles on posterior lowing numbers in Roonwal's (1970) system: margin and numerous long hairs on surface, = about 1/3 of the length of marginalbristles........... 3 length of head [to side base of mandibles] no. 5; 3. Head covered with hairs and = densely bristles; width of head no. 17; width of head without mandibles light brown; postmentum with a eyes = no. 18; height of head [excluding postmen- narrow mid segment with parallel sides; sol- dier tum] = no. 21; length of left mandible = no. 37; monomorphic; Guianas, Venezuela and BrazilianAmazonia; antennae with 14-15 arti- of hind tibia = no. 85; width of length pronotum = cles, usually 14 (Fig. 8, 13, 21 ) ..............H. crinitus no. 68; length of pronotum = no. 65; diameter of - Head with less dense hairs; mandibles dark eye = no. 48; length of ocellus= no. 55; length of brown; postmentum with concave sides; sol- no. 74. The distribution were dier dimorphic; antennae with 15-17 articles, forewing= maps pre- 15 H. tenuis with the Generic Tools & usually (Fig. 6, 7, 12, 22, 23) ............... pared Mapping (Wessel 4. Frons with two elevations in profile and a V- Smith 1998) based on the material examined and shaped groove between them; width of head on records 1924; Emerson 0.70-0.81 mm (Fig. 5, 15, 19)................H. sulcatus published (Snyder - 1925; 1959; Mathews Torales et al. Frons without elevations in profile ........................5 Snyder 1977; 5. Width of head 1.32-1.62 soldier H. tenui.r was not because it is mm; 1997). mapped monomorphic,antennae with 18 articles (Fig. widespread and very common, recorded from 1, 10, 16)......................................................H. assu - Panama to northern Argentina, east of the Andes. Width of head 0.85-1.03 m; soldier conspicu- Terms used for hairs are Bristles ously dimorphic, antennae with 15-17 articles comparative. 2-4, 11, 17, H. are thick hairs with well-marked bases. Hairs are (Fig. 18)............................ longiceps slender. Microscopic hairs are those visible only at Heterotermes assu sp. n. magnifications of 40X or higher. The material examined is deposited in the fol- Typematerial. - Holotype (soldier): BRAZIL. State of collections: Espirito Santo. Presidente Kennedy, Praia das Neves, lowing entomological Departamento 27.iv.98,R. Constantino (DZUB). Paratypes: BRAZIL. de Zoologia, Universidade de Brasilia, Brazil State of Espírito Santo. Presidente Kennedy, Praia das (DZUB), Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi, Bel6m, Neves, 27.iv.98,R. Constantino (soldiers and workers); Brazil, Museu de da Universidade de same locality, 30.iv.98, R. Constantino (soldiers and Zoologia State Minas Gerais. M.P. Sdo Brazil de workers). of Viqosa, 25.iv.99, Paulo, (MZSP), Departamento Souza (soldiers and workers). State of Sáo Paulo. Sao Sistemdtica e Ecologia, Universidade Federal da Paulo, 27.vi.95, A.T. Lelis (soldiers and workers); Paraiba, Joao Pessoa, Brazil (UFPB), Depart- 30.iii.94, A.T. Lelis (soldiers and workers); 25.iii.95, amiento de Universidad Central de A.T. Lelis (soldier); 14.i.98;L.F. Romagnano (soldiers, Entomologia, workers and R. Amaral and de alates); 10.xi.97, (soldiers Venezuela, Maracay, Venezuela, Departamento workers); 06.ii.00, D. K. Suganuma (soldier); 15.ii.00, Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Viqosa, G. A. C. Lopez (soldier). All paratypes currently in Brazil. DZUB; some will be deposited in MZSP. Imago (Fig. 24, 25). The head capsule is brown; Key to the soldiers of South American the occiput is paler. The mandibles are the same Heterotermes color as the head, becoming darker near cutting and teeth. The antennae and are brown- Note: Soldier dimorphism is present in two edge palps ish-yellow, than head. The labrum and the but it is in H. longiceps. paler species, conspicuous only are The For this reason, major and minor soldiers are not postclypeus brownish-yellow. pronotum is a little than the head. The metan- treated in this and is brown, paler separately key, dimorphism otum and mesonotum are The used as a character. However, this brownish-yellow. supplementary are as The should work even if one of soldier tergites the same color the pronotum. key only type stemites are than the The are is available. paler tergites. legs brownish-yellow. The wings are brownish. The 1. Pronotum with at least some hairs on surface head capsule has numerous bristles and hairs of (Fig. 6-9) ................................................................2 variable size. The postclypeus has 4-6 bristles. 465 Figures 1-5. Head and pronotum of soldiers in dorsal view: (1) Heterotermes assu; (2) H. longiceps, major soldier from Brasflia; (3) H. longiceps,major soldier from Espfrito Santo; (4) H. longiceps,minor soldier; (5) H. sulcatus. The labrum has 14-16 hairs of variable size. The bristles on posterior margin and numerous hairs pronotum has numerous bristles and hairs of vari- on surface. The tibial spurs are 3:2:2. The head able size. The tergites and stemites have a row of capsule is oval, relatively wide. The antennae 466 Figures 6-15. Head and pronotum of soldiers in dorsalview (6-9); postmentumof soldiers (10-15): (6) Heterotermes tenuis, major soldier; (7) H. tenuis, minor soldier; (8) H. crinitus; (9) H. convexinotatus;(10) H. assu; (11) H. lon- giceps, major soldier; (12) H. tenuis, major soldier; (13) H. crinitus; (14) H. convexinotatus;(15) H. sulcatus. have 20 articles: 1 st is the longest, 2nd is as long The ocelli are present, but small, close to eyes. as 3rd plus 4th, 4th is the shortest, 5th to 20th The fontanelle is small and rounded. The post- become slightly longer. The eyes are broadly oval. clypeus is short and moderately inflated. The ante- 467 Table 1. Measurementsof soldiers and imagoes of Heterotermes assu and of imagoes of H. longiceps. rior margin of pronotum is slightly emarginate; ous ; the eye region is a little paler than the head. the posterior margin is nearly straight. The poste- The labrum is tongue-shaped and relatively short. rior margin of mesonotum and metanotum form a The pronotum is nearly as wide as head; its ante- wide angle. The measurements are in Tab. 1. rior margin is conspicuously emarginate; its pos- Soldier (Fig. 1, 10, 16). Monomorphic. The terior margin is nearly straight.