AUT. 14 TERMITES FROM AMAZON BASIN SNYDER 21 



Genus ARMITERMES Wasmann 



Holmgren in 1912 divided tlie genus Ar7nitermes into three sub- 

 genera — Arniitei^iies (sensu strictore) Holmgren, GwrviteTtnes Holm- 

 gren and Rhynchoterfnes Holmgren; these subgenera are largely 

 based on dilTerences in the mandibles in the winged adult, soldier and 

 worker castes. The subgenus Armitermes contains the greatest num- 

 ber of species — namely twelve, Curvitermes two, and Rhynchotermes 

 three species. All of these species are confined to America. Dr. 

 W. M. ]\Iann collected species in all three subgenera in Bolivia. 



The winged adult has the wings usually hyaline. The soldier caste 

 has both mandibles and a nasus and forms a connecting link between 

 the mandibulate and nasutiform types of soldiers. 



There seem to be many closely related species or else there is great 

 variation. 



ARMITERMES (ARMITERMES) BENJAMINI, new species 



Soldier. — Head light yellow-brown, nasus darker (light casta- 

 neous-brown), head broadest near base, only slightly narrowed 

 towards anterior margin, not convex in profile, posterior margin of 

 head rounded, head with few long hairs near anterior margin. Nasus 

 does not extend to tips of mandibles, tapers to apex, where truncate 

 and with short hairs, stouter than in alhldus Hagen. 

 Gula elongate, relatively wide at middle. 



Labrum yellow-brown, broadly rounded at apex, with long hairs. 



Mandibles reddish-brown, yellow at base, elongate, slender but 



broader than in alhidus, strongly bowed, but not as much so as in 



albidus Hagen, one short, sharp forward pointing tooth, broad at 



base, nearer to base than to apex. 



Antenna yellow-brown, broken, second segment short, slightly 

 longer than one-half of first segment. 



Pronotum yellow, margins darker, saddle-shaped, with dense long 

 hairs. 



Legs white with tinge of yellow, pubescent. 



Abdomen dirty gray white with yellovv* tinge, tergites with dense 

 hairs, shorter than those on pronotum and relatively shorter than 

 in albidus. 

 Measurements. — 



Length of entire soldier, 5.G0 mm. 

 Length of head with mandibles, 2.50 mm. 

 Lengtli of head with nasus, 2.10 mm. 

 Length of head (to anterior), 1.50 mm. 

 Length of nasus, 0.70 mm. 

 Length of left mandible, 1.10 mm. 

 Length of pronotum, 0..35 mm. 

 Length of hind tibia, 1.20 mm. 

 Width of head (at widest point), 1.35 mm. 

 Width of pronotum, 0.70 mm. 



