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Issue: Vol. 5814 No. 4: 25 May 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-05-25
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5814.4.3
Page range: 498-512
Abstract views: 80
PDF downloaded: 3

Mapinguaritermes marizalensis, a new species of Syntermitinae (Blattodea, Termitidae) from Brazilian Amazon

Laboratório de Termitologia; Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia; Universidade Federal da Paraíba; João Pessoa; PB; Brazil
Laboratório de Termitologia; Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia; Universidade Federal da Paraíba; João Pessoa; PB; Brazil
Laboratório de Termitologia; Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia; Universidade Federal da Paraíba; João Pessoa; PB; Brazil
Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo; São Paulo; SP; Brazil
Norwegian University of Life Sciences; Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management; Ås; Norway
University of East Anglia; School of Environmental Sciences; Norwich; NR4 7TJ; United Kingdom
Laboratório de Termitologia; Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia; Universidade Federal da Paraíba; João Pessoa; PB; Brazil
Isoptera Taxonomy Biodiversity Termites Neotropical Region Juruá River

Abstract

In this study, Mapinguaritermes marizalensis sp. nov. (Termitidae: Syntermitinae) is described based on external and internal morphological characters of workers and soldiers, as well as molecular data. The new species was collected in the Juruá River basin, central Brazilian Amazonia, and can be readily distinguished from the other congeners, M. peruanus and M. grandidens, by the soldiers’ conspicuously larger and subrectangular head capsules, as well as shorter and more robust mandibles. However, it shares several characteristics of the gut, such as the ornamentation of the crop, P1 and the enteric valve, with its congeners. Molecular data (COII gen) were used to consolidate the phylogenetic placement of the species within the subfamily.

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How to Cite

Lucena, E.F.D., Cysneiros, G., Figueiredo, R.E.C.R.D., Rocha, M.M.D., Haugaasen, T., Peres, C.A. & Vasconcellos, A. (2026) Mapinguaritermes marizalensis, a new species of Syntermitinae (Blattodea, Termitidae) from Brazilian Amazon. Zootaxa, 5814 (4), 498–512. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5814.4.3