Genus Hirsutitermes · 毛糙白蚁属

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 posterior margin of the enteric valve armature bears several hundred fine spines; the enteric valve seating (EVS) is tubular, trilobed and long; the mesenteric tongue is long but not inflated. It is closest to Longustitermes: the spines of this genus are longer and finer than in that genus, the anterior portion of the cushions pyriform (in the latter more rounded; the original sentence reads "the anterior portion of the cushions is more rounded in the latter than pyriform in the former"); Longustitermes is smaller, with a trilobed rather than tubular EVS.

Alate

The head capsule forms a very gentle curve in lateral view. Fontanelle distinct, heart-shaped, situated near the imaginary line of the posterior margins of the compound eyes, behind the oval spot (= the median labral muscle). Above the antennal sockets there are two distinct oval spots. Antennae 12-segmented, segment formula 2>3<4≈5. The median suture of the pronotum is distinct, the anterior margin raised.

Worker

Monotypic, medium-sized (body and head size from medium to large). Head capsule pale yellow, densely covered with long hairs and sparse, somewhat larger setae, flat dorsally in lateral view. Antennal segments translucent white; antennae 14-segmented, segment formula 2>3=4<5. Fontanelle circular, distinct but with indistinct margins; postclypeus moderately inflated. Pronotum with very long setae, especially numerous in the middle of the anterior and posterior lobes; the surfaces of the tergites and sternites with short hairs, the posterior margins with long setae. Fore coxa and fore femur with medium-sized spines; fore tibia moderately inflated, densely covered with spines and setae of various sizes. The apical tooth of the left mandible is more projecting than M1+2; the two margins of M3 form an obtuse angle, the apex slightly rounded and directed forwards; the molar process distinct, not concealed by the molar prominence; molar prominence well developed. The apical tooth of the right mandible is far more projecting than M1, M1 small and less projecting than M2, the margin of M2 curved; the molar plate concave, with a few ridges. Digestive tract: mesenteric tongue long but not inflated; EVS rather long and tubular, often with three small but distinct lobes; in dorsal view the junction of P3-a and the seating is visible; the armature has several hundred fine sclerotised spines, distributed from the fourth part of the distal end of the enteric valve. Measurements: species-level (Table 2).

Sources: Carrijo T. F.; Castro D.; Wang M.; Constantini J. P.; Bourguignon T.; Cancello E. M.; Roisin Y.; Scheffrahn R. H. 2023. Diminishing the taxonomic gap in the neotropical soldierless termites: descriptions of four new genera and a new Anoplotermes species (Isoptera, Termitidae, Apicotermitinae). ZooKeys 1167: 317–352. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1167.100001, Hirsutitermes gen. nov. — Diagnosis; Description: Imago / Worker; Comparison and remarks（ZooKeys 1167: 317–352） This text is an adaptation, not a verbatim transcription of the original.