Poovoli Amina, Keloth Rajmohana, K.P. Dinesh, Gopalan Asha
Zoosystema 44 (3), 109-124, (11 February 2022) https://doi.org/10.5252/zoosystema2022v44a3
KEYWORDS: gut morphology, dichotomous key, Pericapritermes-group, mt DNA COI gene phylogeny, new genus, new species, Morphologie de l'intestin, clé dichotomique, groupe Pericapritermes, gène COI de l'ADN mt phylogeny, espèces nouvelles, genre nouveau
The new genus Rinacapritermes Amina & Rajmohana, n. gen. (Blattodea: Isoptera: Termitidae) and two new species Rinacapritermes silvius Amina & Rajmohana, n. gen., n. sp. and Rinacapritermes abundans Amina & Rajmohana, n. gen., n. sp. are described here based on the distinct morphological characters of the soldier and the worker castes. The new genus and the new species are supported by distinct monophyletic groups based on the preliminary mt COI gene tree. The gut morphology of the worker caste along with the enteric valve armature of the type species, R. silvius Amina & Rajmohana, n. gen., n. sp. are detailed. A dichotomous key to soldiers of all genera under Pericapritermes-group found in the Oriental Region is provided to distinguish the proposed new genus. Additionally for the first time DNA barcodes for the mt COI gene based on worker caste were generated for the 12 species under nine genera for the samples from the Western Ghats. An attempt has been made in the studies to build single gene tree using mt COI gene at the generic level for the subfamily Termitinae Latreille, 1802.
