Scheffrahn R. H., Bourguignon T., Akama P. D., Sillam-Dussès David, Sobotnik J. (2018). Roisinitermes ebogoensis gen. and sp. n., an outstanding drywood termite with snapping soldiers from Cameroon (Isoptera, Kalotermitidae). Zookeys, (787), p. 91-105. ISSN 1313-2989.
Titre du document
Roisinitermes ebogoensis gen. and sp. n., an outstanding drywood termite with snapping soldiers from Cameroon (Isoptera, Kalotermitidae)
Scheffrahn R. H., Bourguignon T., Akama P. D., Sillam-Dussès David, Sobotnik J.
Source
Zookeys, 2018,
(787), p. 91-105 ISSN 1313-2989
Termites have developed a wide array of defensive mechanisms. One of them is the mandibulate soldier caste that crushes or pierces their enemies. However, in several lineages of Termitinae, soldiers have long and slender mandibles that cannot bite but, instead, snap and deliver powerful strikes to their opponents. Here, we use morphological and molecular evidence to describe Roisinitermes ebogoensis Scheffrahn, gen. & sp. n. from near Mbalmayo, Cameroon. Soldiers of R. ebogoensis are unique among all other kalotermitid soldiers in that they possess snapping mandibles. The imago of R. ebogoensis is also easily distinguished from all other Kalotermitidae by the lack of ocdli. Our study reveals a new case of parallel evolution of snapping mandibles in termites, a complex apparatus responsible of one of the fastest biological acceleration rates measured to date.
