A new primitive termite (Isoptera) from the Crato Formation, Araripe Basin, Early Cretaceous of South America

Meiatermes cretacicus n. sp., an alate termite from the Early Cretaceous Crato Formation, Araripe Basin, northeastern Brazil. The new taxon is similar in many characteristics to other termites from the Araripe Basin, and primitive termites from Spanish amber. The rounded head and pronotum, Y-shaped...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of South American earth sciences Vol. 109; p. 103260
Main Authors Bezerra, Francisco Irineudo, DeSouza, Og, Ribeiro, Guilherme Cunha, Mendes, Márcio
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2021
Subjects
Aptian
Brazil
Euisoptera
Fossil insect
Group santana
Meiatermes
Brazil
Fossil insect
Aptian
Group santana
Euisoptera
Meiatermes
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Summary:Meiatermes cretacicus n. sp., an alate termite from the Early Cretaceous Crato Formation, Araripe Basin, northeastern Brazil. The new taxon is similar in many characteristics to other termites from the Araripe Basin, and primitive termites from Spanish amber. The rounded head and pronotum, Y-shaped line, veins Sc, R, Rs and M more heavily sclerotized than CuA, multiple Rs branches, and CuA well-developed are features shared with the basal-most termites belonging to the Meiatermes-grade. The Mesozoic record of the Araripe Basin includes six species of termites. Therefore, each discovery of a fossil termite is of high interest, giving new insight into their early evolutionary history and diversity during the Cretaceous of the South America. •A new species of termite is described from Crato Formation, Araripe Basin, Brazil.•Aptian Crato Formation bears a primitive grade of termites.•Affinities of the new taxon is compared with similar primitive termites from the Cretaceous of the Europe and Asia.
ISSN:0895-9811
1873-0647
DOI:10.1016/j.jsames.2021.103260