Genus Ekueitermes · 肠棘白蚁属

Morphology

The descriptions below are an adaptation of the original genus-level accounts; terms follow the meaning of the source, and the original is not transcribed verbatim.

Diagnostic characters

The mesenteric tongue of the mixed segment is short and not inflated; P1 is very short; the enteric valve armature (EVA) consists of 6 conical cushions, each covered with 18–25 polygonal scales with fringed margins (4–15 per cushion), the distal end of each cushion with 7–17 sclerotised spines arranged in palmate fashion; the enteric valve seating (EVS) is distinctly differentiated and tubular.

Worker

Monotypic, medium-sized (head length and head width from medium to large). Head capsule pale white to pale yellow, densely covered with evenly spaced long, fine, pale, erect setae interspersed with short hairs; in lateral view the dorsum slightly concave, the antennal segments translucent. Antennae 14-segmented, segment formula 2>3<4<5. Fontanelle distinct, oval, situated behind the brain (visible in preserved specimens); postclypeus strongly inflated. Pronotum saddle-shaped, anterior and posterior margins with rows of long fine erect setae, the lateral margins with several long setae; the anterior lobe margins of the mesonotum and metanotum also with rows of setae. Abdomen transparent, the tergites and sternites densely covered with setae of varying length. Fore coxa and fore femur with numerous pale fine setae; fore tibia strongly inflated, interspersed with a few long setae and numerous minute dense setae; the tibial spines of all legs weak, indistinct except apically; apical spur formula 2:2:2. The apical tooth of the left mandible is more projecting than M1+2, forming an acute angle with it, the posterior margin of M1+2 slightly concave; M3 less projecting than M1+2, its margin forming an acute angle; molar prominence well developed, not concealing the molar process in dorsal view. The apical tooth of the right mandible is more projecting than M1, M1 small and slightly exceeding M2, a right angle between M1 and M2, the posterior margin of M2 concave, without a ridge. Digestive tract: crop large; mixed segment short and not inflated; midgut short and narrow, gradually widening into a very short, tubular P1 that does not form a ventral loop; EVS well differentiated, tubular; P3 large and inflated, P4 very long and narrow, P5 saccular. Measurements: species-level (Table 1, 17 workers from 3 colonies).

Sources: Duran-Bautista E. H.; Celis-Daza F.; Poveda Quezada N. S.; Ortiz-Morea F. A.; Scheffrahn R. H.; Castro D. 2026. Ekueitermes alerosinus, a new genus and species of soldierless termite from Colombia (Isoptera, Termitidae, Apicotermitinae). ZooKeys 1292: 275–292. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1292.195853, Ekueitermes gen. nov. — Diagnosis; Description: Imago / Worker（ZooKeys 1292: 275–292） This text is an adaptation, not a verbatim transcription of the original.