Genus Ourissotermes · 海胆白蚁属

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

Enteric valve armature consisting of 6 groups of pectinate spine bundles, each bundle with 4–6 rows of spines: longer spines distally, near P3, decreasing posteriorly, together with smaller dentate spines; the proximal end of the pads (near P1) with 1 small dentate spine; the enteric valve inserting directly into P3, without a differentiated enteric valve seating (EVS). On this basis it is distinguished from Patawatermes (enteric valve seating elongated into a tube, clearly visible externally) and Echinotermes (enteric valve seating trilobed). External gut morphology similar to Hydrecotermes, but the latter has an unarmed enteric valve. The genus name refers to the enteric valve armature resembling a sea urchin (Portuguese ouriço).

Alate

Head slightly concave above the ocelli; fontanelle very small or indistinct; compound eyes and ocelli nearly circular; antennae 15-segmented (segment formula 2>3<4<5<6); lateral margins of the pronotum elongate and smoothly rounded.

Worker

Anterior part of the dorsal surface of the head capsule slightly convex in lateral view; postclypeus strongly inflated; antennae 14-segmented. Apical tooth of the left mandible more prominent than M1+2, the edge of M3 forming an obtuse-angled triangle with a slightly truncate end, molar region swelling well developed, partly concealing the molar prominence; apical tooth of the right mandible more prominent than M1, M2 triangular with an acute angle, its tip prominent but slightly less so than M1. Midgut tongue small, the junction between P1 and the midgut a simple transverse connection; enteric valve seating indistinct; enteric valve armature as in the generic diagnosis (6 groups of pectinate spine bundles, the distal spines long and decreasing posteriorly).

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, 章节 Ourissotermes gen. nov.（Diagnosis / Description / Comparison and remarks）；文章 pp. 317–352 This text is an adaptation, not a verbatim transcription of the original.