Revised systematic position of Nasutitermes brevipilus Emerson, 1925 (Isoptera: Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae) and the designation of Hyleotermes gen. nov.

A new monotypic nasute termite genus, Hyleotermes gen. nov., is proposed for Nasutitermes brevipilus Emerson, 1925. Hyleotermes brevipilus, comb. nov., is redescribed and illustrated based on the morphology of the imago, soldier, and worker castes. It is expanded into Amazonia. The soldier of Hyleotermes differs from that of Nasutitermes Dudley, 1890 in that the former has a long and cylindrical nasus and the head capsule lacks long setae and is covered with microscopic setae. Unlike the worker of Nasutitermes, the Hyleotermes worker has a short mixed segment and an enteric valve is adorned with narrow spines on conical bases. The phylogenetic position of H. brevipilus comb nov., is reconstructed based on a dataset with two mitochondrial markers (COI and 16SrRNA) for 36 terminals, under maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. Results corroborate that this species is unrelated to Nasutitermes and should be excluded from the genus.

Termite taxonomy from 20012021: the contribution of Zootaxa.

Termites comprise a relatively small group of insects, with 3176 known species (2976 living and 200 fossil) (Constantino 2020). They include, however, very important urban and agricultural pests, and also major decomposers of plant matter in terrestrial ecosystems, especially in the tropics. For instance, the annual economic impact of a single invasive termite species, Coptotermes formosanus, was estimated as US$11 billion in the United States in 1999 (Su 2002), placing it among the most important insect pests in the world.

A revised and geo-referenced list of type localities for termites in South America.

A revised, geo-referenced, and cross-referenced list of 270 termite type localities in South America is presented. A total of 543 nominal species-group extant taxa are listed, 442 of them valid and 97 synonyms. The type-locality comprising the greatest number of nominal taxa in South America is Kartabo, Guyana (A.E. Emerson study site), with 59 taxa, followed by Cuiabá, Brazil (F. Sivestri), with 34, and Ribeirão Cascalheira, Brazil (Xavantina-Cachimbo Expedition, A.G.A. Mathews) with 26.

Metagenomic Analysis of the Whole Gut Microbiota in Brazilian Termitidae Termites Cornitermes cumulans, Cyrilliotermes strictinasus, Syntermes dirus, Nasutitermes jaraguae, Nasutitermes aquilinus, Grigiotermes bequaerti, and Orthognathotermes mirim.

Although some previous studies have described the microbial diversity of termite in Brazil, the lack of studies about this subject is still evident. In the present study, we described by whole genome sequencing, the gut microbiota of seven species of termites (Termitidae) with different feeding habits from four Brazilian locations. For the litter species, the most abundant bacterial phylum was Firmicutes, where Cornitermes cumulans and Syntermes dirus (Syntermitinae) were identified. For the humus species, the most abundant bacterial phylum was Proteobacteria where three species were studied: Cyrilliotermes strictinasus (Syntermitinae), Grigiotermes bequaerti (Apicotermitinae), and Orthognathotermes mirim (Termitinae). For the wood termites, Firmicutes and Spirochaetes were the most abundant phyla, respectively, where two species were identified: Nasutitermes aquilinus and Nasutitermes jaraguae (Nasutitermitinae). The gut microbiota of all four examined subfamilies shared a conserved functional and carbohydrate-active enzyme profile and specialized in cellulose and chitin degradation. Taken together, these results provide insight into the partnerships between termite and microbes that permit the use of refractory energy sources.

Reexamination of the identity and status of the termite taxa described by Czerwinski (1901) from southern Brazil (Isoptera: Termitidae).

Czerwinski (1901) (sometimes spelled Tscherwinsky) described four new termite taxa in a publication about the termite collection of the former Zoological Cabinet of the Imperial Warsaw University (currently Museum and Institute of Zoology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, MZPW): Eutermes burmeisteri and Eutermes rippertii iheringi from southern Brazil, Eutermes canariensis from the Canary Islands, and Eutermes nasonovi from Madagascar.

Morphophysiological study of digestive system litter-feeding termite Cornitermes cumulans (Kollar, 1832).

Termites are the major decomposers of lignocellulosic biomass on Earth and are commonly considered as biological reactor models for lignocellulose degradation. Despite their biotechnological potential, few studies have focused on the morphophysiological aspects of the termite digestive system. We therefore analyze the morphology, ultrastructure and gut luminal pH of the digestive system in workers of the litter-feeding termite Cornitermes cumulans (Blattodea: Termitidae). Their digestive system is composed of salivary glands and an alimentary canal with a pH ranging from neutral to alkaline. The salivary glands have an acinar structure and present cells with secretory characteristics. The alimentary canal is differentiated into the foregut, midgut, mixed segment and hindgut, which comprises the ileum (p1), enteric valve (p2), paunch (p3), colon (p4) and rectum (p5) segments. The foregut has a well-developed chewing system. The midgut possesses a tubular peritrophic membrane and two cell types: digestive cells with secretory and absorptive features and several regenerative cells in mitosis, both cell types being organized into regenerative crypts. The mixed segment exhibits cells rich in glycogen granules. Hindgut p1, p4 and p5 segments have flattened cells with a few apical invaginations related to mitochondria and a thick cuticular lining. Conversely, the hindgut p3 segment contains large cuboid cells with extensive apical invaginations associated with numerous mitochondria. These new insights into the morphophysiology of the digestive system of C. cumulans reveal that it mobilizes lignocellulose components as a nutritional source by means of a highly compartmentalized organization with specialized segments and complex microenvironments.

A taxonomic revision of the neotropical termite genus Diversitermes (Isoptera: Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae).

The taxonomy of the neotropical termite genus Diversitermes Holmgren 1912 is revised. Three species are recognized as valid: D. castaniceps (Holmgren 1910), D. diversimiles (Silvestri 1901) and D. tiapuan, sp. n. Identification keys based on soldiers and workers are presented. Diversitermes aporeticus Mathews 1977 is transferred to the genus Velocitermes Holmgren 1912. Diversitermes needhami Roonwal, Chhotani & Verma 1981 is a junior synonym of Velocitermes heteropterus (Silvestri 1901), and D. eidmanni Roonwal, Chhotani & Verma 1981 is a junior synonym of D. castaniceps (Holmgren 1910). Eutermes strelnicovi John 1920 (=Nasutitermes strelnicovi) is a junior synonym of D. diversimiles. All castes of the three valid species are described and illustrated. Distribution maps are presented for all species.

A taxonomic revision of the neotropical termite genus Ruptitermes (Isoptera, Termitidae, Apicotermitinae).

The taxonomy of Ruptitermes Mathews 1977 is revised. Nine new species are described: R. araujoi, sp. n. (from Brazil), R. atyra, sp. n. (from Brazil, Peru, and Panama), R. bandeirai, sp. n. (from Brazil), R. cangua, sp. n. (from Brazil), R. kaapora, sp. n. (from Paraguay and Brazil), R. krishnai, sp. n. (from Trinidad), R. maraca, sp. n. (from Brazil), R. piliceps, sp. n. (from Brazil), and R. pitan, sp. n. (from Brazil). Ruptitermes franciscoi (Snyder 1959), new combination, is transferred from Anoplotermes Fr. Müller to Ruptitermes. Ruptitermes proratus Emerson 1949 is placed under the synonymy of R. reconditus (Silvestri, 1901). The genus is redescribed to accommodate all the species included. Ruptitermes arboreus, R. reconditus and R. xanthochiton are redescribed based on the examination of large series. A key to the 13 species of the genus based on the external morphology of workers is provided. The enteric valve armature is described and illustrated for all species except R. kaapora. Distribution maps are presented for all species.

On the identity of Syntermes noiroti Krishna et al. 2013 (Isoptera: Termitidae: Syntermitinae).

Syntermes emersoni Grassé & Noirot 1949 is an available name of uncertain taxonomic status. It was published in a paper about the nest and biology of the African termite Sphaerotermes sphaerothorax (Sjöstedt 1911), with a brief description and a few illustrations (Grassé & Noirot 1949). The description is limited to the following words: "les mandibles du Syntermes emersoni n. sp. resemblent passablement à celles d'un Sphaerotermes mais sont plus grandes" [the mandibles of Syntermes emersoni n. sp. resemble those of Sphaerotermes but are larger]. Specimens examined by the authors and the localities from which they were collected are not mentioned. Although brief and limited, this description satisfies the requirements of availability (ICZN 1999, articles 10-12). Besides the inadequate description, the name is a junior primary homonym of Syntermes emersoni Snyder 1924 and cannot be used as valid.

The Gut Microbiota of Workers of the Litter-Feeding Termite Syntermes wheeleri (Termitidae: Syntermitinae): Archaeal, Bacterial, and Fungal Communities.

The gut microbiota of termites allows them to thrive on a variety of different materials such as wood, litter, and soil. For that reason, they play important roles in the decomposition of biomass in diverse biomes. This function is essential in the savanna, where litter-feeding termites are one of the few invertebrates active during the dry season. In this study, we describe the gut microbiota of workers (third and fourth instars) of the species Syntermes wheeleri, a litter-feeding termite from the Brazilian savanna. Results of 16S and 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene-targeted pyrosequencing using primers sets specific to each domain have revealed its bacterial, archaeal, and fungal diversities. Firmicutes accounted for more than half of the operational taxonomic units of the Bacteria domain. The most abundant fungal species were from the class Dothideomycetes of the phylum Ascomycota. The methanogenic orders Methanobacteriales, Methanosarcinales, and Methanomicrobiales of the phylum Euryarchaeota accounted for the greatest part of the Archaea detected in this termite. A comparison of the gut microbiota of the two instars revealed a difference in operational taxonomic unit (OTU) abundance but not in species richness. This description of the whole gut microbiota represents the first study to evaluate relationships among bacteria, archaea, fungi, and host in S. wheeleri.

A taxonomic revision of the soil-feeding termite genus Anhangatermes (Isoptera: Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae).

The taxonomy of Anhangatermes Constantino 1990 is revised. Four new species are described: Anhangatermes anhanguera, sp. n., Anhangatermes eurycephalus, sp. n., Anhangatermes juruena, sp. n., and Anhangatermes pilosus, sp. n. The imago of Anhangatermes is described for the first time (A. pilosus). A key to the species of the genus based on soldiers and workers is provided. The diagnosis of the genus is updated to accommodate the new species. The geographic range of the genus is expanded to the Cerrado region of Central Brazil. The gizzard armature of the worker of Anhangatermes is described in detail for the first time.

Species delimitation and phylogeny in the genus Nasutitermes (Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae) in French Guiana.

Species delimitation and identification can be arduous for taxa whose morphologic characters are easily confused, which can hamper global biodiversity assessments and pest species management. Exploratory methods of species delimitation that use DNA sequence as their primary information source to establish group membership and estimate putative species boundaries are useful approaches, complementary to traditional taxonomy. Termites of the genus Nasutitermes make interesting models for the application of such methods. They are dominant in Neotropical primary forests but also represent major agricultural and structural pests. Despite the prevalence, pivotal ecological role and economical impact of this group, the taxonomy of Nasutitermes species mainly depends on unreliable characters of soldier external morphology. Here, we generated robust species hypotheses for 79 Nasutitermes colonies sampled throughout French Guiana without any a priori knowledge of species affiliation. Sequence analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase II gene was coupled with exploratory species-delimitation tools, using the automatic barcode gap discovery method (ABGD) and a generalized mixed Yule-coalescent model (GMYC) to propose primary species hypotheses (PSHs). PSHs were revaluated using phylogenetic analyses of two more loci (mitochondrial 16S rDNA and nuclear internal transcribed spacer 2) leading to 16 retained secondary species hypotheses (RSSH). Seven RSSHs, represented by 44/79 of the sampled colonies, were morphologically affiliated to species recognized as pests in the Neotropics, where they represent a real invasive pest potential in the context of growing ecosystem anthropization. Multigenic phylogenies based on combined alignments (1426-1784 bp) were also reconstructed to identify ancestral ecological niches and major-pest lineages, revealing that Guyanese pest species do not form monophyletic groups.

Microbial community diversity in the gut of the South American termite Cornitermes cumulans (Isoptera: Termitidae).

Termites inhabit tropical and subtropical areas where they contribute to structure and composition of soils by efficiently degrading biomass with aid of resident gut microbiota. In this study, culture-independent molecular analysis was performed based on bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA clone libraries to describe the gut microbial communities within Cornitermes cumulans, a South American litter-feeding termite. Our data reveal extensive bacterial diversity, mainly composed of organisms from the phyla Spirochaetes, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Fibrobacteres. In contrast, a low diversity of archaeal 16S rRNA sequences was found, comprising mainly members of the Crenarchaeota phylum. The diversity of archaeal methanogens was further analyzed by sequencing clones from a library for the mcrA gene, which encodes the enzyme methyl coenzyme reductase, responsible for catalyzing the last step in methane production, methane being an important greenhouse gas. The mcrA sequences were diverse and divided phylogenetically into three clades related to uncultured environmental archaea and methanogens found in different termite species. C. cumulans is a litter-feeding, mound-building termite considered a keystone species in natural ecosystems and also a pest in agriculture. Here, we describe the archaeal and bacterial communities within this termite, revealing for the first time its intriguing microbiota.

High throughput screening of hydrolytic enzymes from termites using a natural substrate derived from sugarcane bagasse.

BACKGROUND: The description of new hydrolytic enzymes is an important step in the development of techniques which use lignocellulosic materials as a starting point for fuel production. Sugarcane bagasse, which is subjected to pre-treatment, hydrolysis and fermentation for the production of ethanol in several test refineries, is the most promising source of raw material for the production of second generation renewable fuels in Brazil. One problem when screening hydrolytic activities is that the activity against commercial substrates, such as carboxymethylcellulose, does not always correspond to the activity against the natural lignocellulosic material. Besides that, the macroscopic characteristics of the raw material, such as insolubility and heterogeneity, hinder its use for high throughput screenings. RESULTS: In this paper, we present the preparation of a colloidal suspension of particles obtained from sugarcane bagasse, with minimal chemical change in the lignocellulosic material, and demonstrate its use for high throughput assays of hydrolases using Brazilian termites as the screened organisms. CONCLUSIONS: Important differences between the use of the natural substrate and commercial cellulase substrates, such as carboxymethylcellulose or crystalline cellulose, were observed. This suggests that wood feeding termites, in contrast to litter feeding termites, might not be the best source for enzymes that degrade sugarcane biomass.

The black soldier-fly, Hermetia illucens (Diptera, Stratiomyidae), used to estimate the postmortem interval in a case in Amapá State, Brazil.

The black soldier-fly (Hermetia illucens) is a generalist detritivore which is commonly present in corpses in later stages of decomposition and may be useful in forensic entomology. This paper describes the estimation of the postmortem interval (PMI) based on the life cycle of the black soldier-fly in a case in northern Brazil. A male child was abducted from his home and 42 days later his corpse was found in an advanced stage of decay. Two black soldier-fly larvae were found associated with the body. The larvae emerged as adults after 25-26 days. Considering the development cycle of H. illucens, the date of oviposition was estimated as 24-25 days after abduction. Since H. illucens usually (but not always) colonizes corpses in more advanced stages of decay, this estimate is consistent with the hypothesis that the child was killed immediately after abduction.

Cem anos da Entomologia Forense no Brasil (1908-2008): [revisão] / One hundred years of forensic entomology in Brazil (1908-2008): [review]

Apresentamos uma história do desenvolvimento da Entomologia Forense no Brasil e uma avaliação do estado da arte e perspectivas. Esses estudos no Brasil iniciaram-se em 1908 com os trabalhos pioneiros de Roquette-Pinto e Oscar Freire, que notaram a grande diversidade da fauna de insetos necrófagos e a impossibilidade de aplicação direta de métodos desenvolvidos na Europa. Nas últimas duas décadas a Entomologia Forense tem avançado rapidamente no Brasil, mas ainda existem lacunas importantes no conhecimento, especialmente com relação à taxonomia, biologia e ecologia dos principais grupos de moscas e besouros necrófagos e também falta de integração entre os entomologistas e a polícia judiciária. Atualmente existem no Brasil mais de 20 pesquisadores desenvolvendo pesquisas relacionadas com Entomologia Forense e algumas dezenas de peritos criminais com treinamento nessa área, em quase todos os estados brasileiros. Neste trabalho são também apresentadas algumas diretrizes para políticas de desenvolvimento deste campo de pesquisas no Brasil.

The history of the development of forensic entomology in Brazil, its current status and perspectives are reviewed. Those studies in Brazil began in 1908 with the pioneer works conducted by Roquette-Pinto and Oscar Freire, who noted the high diversity of the native fauna of necrophagous insects and the impossibility of direct application of the methods developed in Europe. In the last two decades, forensic entomology advanced rapidly in Brazil, but there still are some important limitations, especially in relation to the taxonomy, biology and ecology of necrophagous insects and the lack of interaction between researchers and police investigators. Today there are in Brazil over 20 researchers involved with forensic entomology and tens of police investigators with some training in this field. Guidelines for the development of this field of investigation in Brazil are also presented.

A survey of the termite fauna (Isoptera) of an eucalypt plantation in central Brazil.

The termite fauna of a plantation of Eucaliptus urophylla S.T. Blake (Myrtales: Mytaceae) in Buritis, Minas Gerais, was manually sampled in 12 transects. The assemblage contained 28 species belonging to Termitidae and Rhinotermitidae. This assemblage corresponds to a subset of the native fauna of the cerrado previously present in this region. Compared to the original native fauna, it has a lower species richness, a much lower proportion of soil-feeders and a higher proportion of litter-feeders. A total of 1,600 recently cut trees were examined and only three (0.2%) had damage to the heartwood caused by Coptotermes sp. Despite the presence of a diverse termite fauna including several putative pest species, termites are not considered a significant problem to eucalypt plantations in this region.

A survey of the termite fauna (Isoptera) of an eucalypt plantation in central Brazil

The termite fauna of a plantation of Eucaliptus urophylla S.T. Blake (Myrtales: Mytaceae) in Buritis, Minas Gerais, was manually sampled in 12 transects. The assemblage contained 28 species belonging to Termitidae and Rhinotermitidae. This assemblage corresponds to a subset of the native fauna of the cerrado previously present in this region. Compared to the original native fauna, it has a lower species richness, a much lower proportion of soil-feeders and a higher proportion of litter-feeders. A total of 1600 recently cut trees were examined and only three (0.2 percent) had damage to the heartwood caused by Coptotermes sp. Despite the presence of a diverse termite fauna including several putative pest species, termites are not considered a significant problem to eucalypt plantations in this region.

Os cupins de uma plantação de Eucaliptus urophylla S.T. Blake (Myrtales: Mytaceae) em Buritis, MG, foram amostrados manualmente em 12 transectos. A taxocenose encontrada continha 28 especies pertencentes a Termitidae e Rhinotermitidae. Essa taxocenoce corresponde a um subconjunto da fauna nativa do cerrado anteriormente presente na mesma área. Comparada com a fauna original, ela tem riqueza menor, uma proporção muito menor de humívoros e maior de ceifadores. O exame de 1600 árvores recém-cortadas revelou que apenas três delas (0.2 por cento) apresentavam dano ao cerne causado por Coptotermes sp. Apesar da presença de uma fauna diversa incluindo várias espécies consideradas pragas, os cupins não são considerados um problema significativo nessa região.

A forensic entomology case from the Amazon rain forest of Brazil.

The first case of application of forensic entomology in the Brazilian Amazonia is described. The corpses of 26 men were found in the rainforest in Rondonia State, Brazil. Fly larvae collected on the bodies during autopsy were identified as Paralucilia fulvinota (Diptera, Calliphoridae). No data or specimens were collected at the crime scene. At the laboratory, the larvae developed into pupae in 58 h and into adults in 110.5 h. The total development time for P. fulvinota was measured in field experiments inside the forest. The age of the larvae when collected from the bodies was estimated as the difference between the time required for them to become adults and the total development time for this species. The estimated age of the maggots and the minimum postmortem interval was 5.7 days.