Abstract
Termitotrox venus sp. n. is described from Cambodia and represents the second discovery of Termitotrox Reichensperger, 1915 from the Indo-Chinese subregion of the Indomalayan region. Most of the type series was collected from refuse dumps in fungus garden cells of Macrotermes cf. gilvus (Hagen, 1858). Macrotermes Holmgren, 1910 was previously an unknown host of Termitotrox species. The new species is easily distinguished from all known congeners by having wing-shaped trichomes on the elytra and the larger body size, at 2.5 mm in length. We also describe the mouthparts to complement the description of the genus Termitotrox.
Highlights
Members of the genus Termitotrox Reichensperger, 1915 are blind, flightless termitophilous scarabs associated with the fungus-growing termite genera Protermes Holmgren, 1910, Odontotermes Holmgren, 1912 or Hypotermes Holmgren, 1917
We collected another undescribed species of Termitotrox in Cambodia from fungus garden cells of Macrotermes Holmgren, 1910 ( Macrotermitinae) – a previously unknown host of Termitotrox
Of the eight Termitotrox venus beetles recovered from fungus garden cells of Macrotermes cf. gilvus (Figs 11–13), seven were found on or inside the refuse dumps
Summary
Members of the genus Termitotrox Reichensperger, 1915 are blind, flightless termitophilous scarabs associated with the fungus-growing termite genera Protermes Holmgren, 1910, Odontotermes Holmgren, 1912 or Hypotermes Holmgren, 1917 The genus was previously known from the Ethiopian region (eight species) and the Indian subregion (two species) of the Indomalayan region (Krikken 2008), until the discovery of Termitotrox cupido Maruyama, 2012 from Cambodia, representing the first species of Termitotrox from the Indo-Chinese subregion of the Indomalayan region (Maruyama 2012a) We collected another undescribed species of Termitotrox in Cambodia from fungus garden cells of Macrotermes Holmgren, 1910 ( Macrotermitinae) – a previously unknown host of Termitotrox. This is the second discovery of the genus in the Indo-Chinese subregion of the Indomalayan region. In this paper the new species is described and biological information about it is provided
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