Triclavitermes catoleensis Ferreira, Carvalho & Vasconcellos, 2025

Triclavitermes catoleensis Ferreira, Carvalho & Vasconcellos sp. nov.

Holotype. CTUFPB-11404 08.VI.2022. A. Vasconcellos col.

Type locality. Municipality of Catolé do Rocha , Monte Tabor ( 6º20'22"S, 37º44'19"W), Paraíba, Brazil GoogleMaps .

Type repositor. CTUFPB

Paratypes. BRAZIL. Pernambuco: Buíque ( 8°32'00.0"S 37°14'00.0"W): 16.IV.2009, A. Vasconcellos col. (CTUFPB-3241) GoogleMaps ; Piauí: Caracol ( 9°13'21.6"S 43°29'20.2"W): 11.XII.2010, A. Vasconcellos col. (CTUFPB-4090) GoogleMaps ; Bahia: Campo Formoso ( 10°13'51.9"S 41°07'01.1"W): 12.VII.2022, R. R. Ferreira col. (CTUFPB-11865) GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis: As described for the genus. EV with three semi-spherical sclerotized plates of different sizes, with the middle plate larger than the other two, all with spines.

Etymology: In honor of the city of Catolé do Rocha, the type locality, a peaceful and welcoming town in the sertão of Paraíba, located in northeastern Brazil.

Imago: Unknown.

Worker: As described for the genus. EV asymmetric, with an armature composed of three semispherical sclerotized plates that bear several spines: one larger and central, and two smaller, adjacent, non-identical ( Fig. 5A and 5D View FIGURE 5 ). An occasional single spine, the same size as the spines on the plates, is isolated adjacent to the smaller plate ( Fig. 5B View FIGURE 5 ). The cushions are subrectangular and elongated, with 30 to 40 elongated scales in the proximal region (some of which may be fringed), and 20 to 30 smaller, entirely fringed scales in the basal portion ( Fig. 5C View FIGURE 5 ).

Comparison. The left mandible incision between M1+2 and M3 of Triclavitermes catoleensis sp. nov. is wider than in most genera, e.g., Anoplotermes , Krecekitermes , Ourissotermes , but narrower than in Mangolditermes . T. catoleensis sp. nov. differs from Ourissotermes giblinorum Scheffrahn, Carrijo & Castro, 2023 and Echinotermes biriba Castro & Scheffrahn, 2018 by having a more prominent mesenteric tongue. Additionally, E. biriba has a highly enlarged crop, a feature not found in T. catoleensis sp. nov. In O. giblinorum , the EV is inserted directly into the P3, without a distinct EVS, while in T. catoleensis sp. nov., the EVS is conspicuous. Anoplotermes spp. and Humutermes spp. have a mesenteric tongue with a whitish spherical mesenteric nodule in ventral view, but can be distinguished from T. catoleensis sp. nov. by the shape of the enteric valve seating, which forms a ring in T. catoleensis sp. nov., absent in Anoplotermes spp. and Humutermes spp. The asymmetric pattern of the EV armature in T. catoleensis sp. nov. closely resembles that observed in Anoplotermes susanae Scheffrahn, Carrijo & Castro, 2023 , Anoplotermes janus Bourguignon & Roisin, 2010 ( Fig. 6F View FIGURE 6 ), and Anoplotermes parvus Snyder, 1923 ( Fig. 6G–H View FIGURE 6 ), which also feature an armature extending along only one or three of the six cushions, or even along all cushions, yet still asymmetric. Dissimulitermes invisibilis also exhibits an asymmetric enteric valve armature, with similar plates extending across five cushions, and only one cushion bearing a plate of a distinct shape. However, the shape of the armature plates is clearly different among these species. The ornamentation and armature of the enteric valve in T. catoleensis sp. nov. also set it apart from all other genera of Apicotermitinae . The EVs of E. biriba , O. giblinorum , Patawatermes spp. ( Fig. 6C–D View FIGURE 6 ), and Humutermes spp. have six symmetrical and sclerotized plates with spines, while the EV of T. catoleensis sp. nov. is asymmetrical, with only three distinct sclerotized plates. Although Rustitermes boteroi was recovered as close related to T. catoleensis sp. nov. in the Bayesian inference (BI) tree ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 , see results below), its morphological traits are markedly different. It lacks an armed enteric valve, exhibits a distinct coiling pattern of the digestive tube, and has a row of spines on the foretibia—a feature absent in T. catoleensis sp. nov. Triclavitermes gen. nov. resembles Chasitermes by the ring-shaped arrangement of the EVS, but differs by the EV, as Chasitermes has an unarmed EV with rectangular, non-sclerotized cushions ( Scheffrahn & Carrijo 2023).