Primitive Termites in Cretaceous Amber from Spain and Canada (Isoptera)

Abstract

The first termites in Early Cretaceous (Albian) amber from Spain are described and figured. Morazatermes krishnai Engel and Delclòs, new genus and species, is described from an imago (and wings of a second specimen) preserved in fossiliferous resin from Moraza, Burgos Province. A second termite species, Cantabritermes simplex Engel and Delclòs, new genus and species, is also recorded from the same deposits but is presently known only from the forewing. Similarly, an isolated forewing in amber from San Just, Teruel Province is described as Aragonitermes teruelensis Engel and Delclòs, new genus and species. Lastly, the first termite in Late Cretaceous (Campanian) amber from Grassy Lake, near Medicine Hat, Canada is described from a fragmentary imago lacking wings or much of the body. All of these taxa belong to a primitive grade of unassigned termites between Mastotermitidae and the families Termopsidae, Hodotermitidae, and Archotermopsidae (sensu Engel et al., 2009). Notes are appended on the recently described “Kalotermes” burmensis Poinar, from the latest Albian of Myanmar (Burmese amber), and the species transferred to Kachinitermopsis Engel and Delclòs, new genus, resulting in the new combination, Kachinitermopsis burmensis. These new taxa highlight the diversity of primitive termites during the Cretaceous.