Termitotrox icarus sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae): a new termitophilous beetle from Myanmar with observations of carrying behavior by host termites
Kakizoe Showtaro, Liang Wei-Ren, Myint Khin Mar, Maruyama Munetoshi
Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 60(2): 427-436, 2020
Published online: 28th July 2020
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Abstract: A new species of scarab beetle, Termitotrox icarus sp. nov., is
described from central Myanmar, being the third representative of the genus
Termitotrox Reichensperger, 1915 from the Indo-Chinese Subregion of
the Oriental Region. The majority of the type series was collected from the
walls of fungus garden chambers built in the nests of the termite
Odontotermes proformosanus Ahmad, 1965. Termitotrox icarus
sp. nov. can be easily distinguished from the known Termitotrox as it
possesses wing-shaped trichomes on the elytra, the more elongate habitus shape
in dorsal view, the basomedian section of pronotum not protruding backwards, a
pair of distinct costae on the pronotal basomedian section strongly developed, a
median costa on anterior pronotal margin strongly developed, the elytral striae
narrower than interstriae, the lack of trichomes at the base of elytral sutural
stria, and a mid-range body length of 1.5–1.9 mm. The ‘carrying behavior’
by the host termites is reported for the first time for Termitotrox and
a strategy for the dispersal of flightless termitophilous scarabs is
hypothesized.
Key words: Coleoptera, Aphodiinae, Termitotrogini, Blattodea, Termitidae, Macrotermitinae, new species, egg gigantism, phoresy, termite association, Indo-Chinese Subregion, Oriental Region