A new Cryptotermes species (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae) from the Miocene amber of Dominican Republic

Corentin Jouault (1, 2, 3) , André Nel (2)

1 GR - Géosciences Rennes
2 ISYEB - Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité
3 UMR ISEM - Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier

A new fossil kalotermitid species of the genus Cryptotermes is described and illustrated as Cryptotermes pouilloni n. sp. from the Miocene Dominican amber (Dominican Republic). This new species can be differentiated from the other Cryptotermes species, inter alia, by its small size (one of the smallest Cryptotermes species), anterior margin of anteclypeus concave, 15 antennomeres, and forewing RP with five secondary branches reaching wing anterior margin and M joining RP after wing midlength. The new species originates from La Toca mines while the exact origins of the other Dominican fossil Cryptotermes species are unknown. We summarize the Isoptera diversity from Dominican amber and rapidly discuss the impact of inaccurate dating of the Dominican amber on the time divergence estimate of the isopteran constitutive families.

Keywords: Dry woo; dfossil record; Insecta; taxonomy; termite

Domains: Paleontology

Corentin Jouault, André Nel. A new Cryptotermes species (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae) from the Miocene amber of Dominican Republic. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France, 2022, 58 (3), pp.222-228. ⟨10.1080/00379271.2022.2081606⟩. ⟨insu-03729435⟩