Cyrilliotermes brevidens Constantino & Carvalho, 2012, new species

Cyrilliotermes brevidens new species

Holotype: soldier, 26.x.1993, D. J. Domingos leg. (part of lot UnB-8017).

Type-locality. BRAZIL. Minas Gerais. Lagoa Santa (19.63S, 43.88W).

Type depository. UnB

Etymology. From the Latim brevis, short, and dens, tooth.

Paratypes: (soldiers and workers). BRAZIL. Minas Gerais. João Pinheiro: 09.vii.2007, A.L. Evangelista leg. (UnB-7482). Lagoa Santa: 09.xi.1993, D.J. Domingos leg. (UFV-4273, 4405, 4415); 13.xii.1993, Marcelo leg. (UFV-4902, UnB-2307); 21.ix.1993, unknown collector (UFV-4289); 22.ii.1994, Mônica leg. (UFV-4278); 22.ii.1994, Warne leg. (UFV-4284); 23.xi.1993, D.J. Domingos leg. (UFV-4299); 26.x.1993, D.J. Domingos leg. (UFV-4413, UnB-8017). Parque do Rio Doce: 11.x.1994, unknown collector (UFV-4973).

Imago. Unknown.

Soldier (Figs. 3 A–C, 4, 9C). Head capsule yellowish, paler on vertex; nasus yellow at base, becoming ferruginous at tip. Basal articles of antenna yellowish, becoming darker toward tip. Thorax, legs and abdomen mostly transparent, unpigmented (Fig. 4). Head capsule with about 24 sparse bristles of variable size, and two long bristles below base of nasus; short hairs absent. Postclypeus with about 4 bristles. Tip of nasus with a ring of short hairs around pore. Apical portion of nasus with scattered microscopic hairs. Pronotum, mesonotum and metanotum with long bristles on margins. Tergites and sternites with a row of long bristles near posterior margin and many shorter ones over surface (Fig. 4). Head capsule nearly oval in dorsal view, widest nead middle. Nasus long, nearly cylindrical, wrinkled with transverse ridges. Mandibles with a short M1; edge between A and M1 straight; apical tooth sharp pointed; distance between left A and M1 a little longer than the distance between M1 and M2. Relative length of antennal articles: 1> 6> 2> 5> 3> 4; combined length of 3rd + 4th longer than 6th Measurements in Table 2.

Worker (Figs. 3 D–E, 10B, 12C–D). Head capsule rounded hemi-ellipsoid, with convex sides, narrowing posteriorly. Lateral sides convex. Postclypeus conspicuously inflated. Relative length of antennal articles: 1> 6> 2 = 5> 3> 4, combined length of 3rd + 4th shorter than 6th. Cushions of enteric valve armature of relatively uniform width and rounded tip; spines are relatively long and some are curved; they become shorter at the posterior end of the valve (Fig. 12 D), but not as short as in C. angulariceps. Measurements in Table 3.

Comparisons. The soldiers of C. brevidens can be distinguished from those of C. angulariceps and C. strictinasus only by their mandibles, which may need to be removed for examination. Their mandibles are sharp pointed and have a straight margin between A and M1, and a very short M1. In C. strictinasus, the margin between A and M1 is shorter and concave and M1 is more conspicuous (Fig. 9 E–F). In C. angulariceps, soldier mandibles are more robust and also have larger M1. The worker of C. breviceps is similar to those of C. crassinasus, sp. n., and C. strictinasus. In C. strictinasus, the cushions of the enteric valve have a narrow tip, which advances a little into P3 (Figs. 12 G–H).

Remarks. This species seems to be restricted to a small region within the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil (Fig. 14). Most samples come from cerrado vegetation, but one sample was collected in forest habitat. Due to poor preservation of the specimens, the dissection of the enteric valve was rather difficult and the cuticle very fragile, resulting in the flattened shape seen in Figs. 12 C–D.