Abstract
A new species of the termite bug genus Termitaradus Myers (Aradoidea: Termitaphididae) is described and fi gured based on a single female preserved in Early Miocene (Burdigalian) amber from the Dominican Republic. Termitaradus mitnicki sp. n. diff ers from the only other termitaphidid in Dominican amber, T. avitinquilinus Grimaldi and Engel, in the integumental ornamentation, number of laminae and lobules, body proportions, and setation. Th is is the third species of fossil Termitaphididae discovered. A revised key to living and fossil termitaphidids is provided.
Highlights
The nests of highly eusocial insects are seething with a diversity of associated arthropods, all evolved to take advantage of the rich resources provided by these ubiquitous and ecologically impressive species
Termitaradus protera Poinar and Doyen shares some similarities in lobule number with T. avitinquilinus by comparison to modern species, but is noteworthy for its “gigantic” size (Poinar and Doyen 1992), which at 7.1 mm is nearly twice the length of previously described species. Hosts for these fossil species are unknown, T. avitinquilinus is likely associated with Mastotermes electrodominicana Krishna and Grimaldi (Mastotermitidae) as two specimens were found in association with a worker of that species (Grimaldi and Engel 2008)
Very acute at apices [Panamá; hosts: Heterotermes tenuis
Summary
A new termite bug in Miocene amber from the Dominican Republic (Hemiptera,Termitaphididae).
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