Ekueitermes alerosinus, a new genus and species of soldierless termite from Colombia (Isoptera, Termitidae, Apicotermitinae).

A new genus and species of soldierless termite, Ekueitermes alerosinus gen. et sp. nov., is described from Colombia based on morphological and molecular evidence. The diagnostic characters for the new taxon are a mixed segment with a short, non-inflated mesenteric tongue, a very short and tubular P1, a well-differentiated tubular enteric valve seating, and an enteric valve armature with six cushions armed with 7-17 sclerotised spines arranged in a palmate shape and polygonal scales. Furthermore, Bayesian inference and maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis using concatenated COI and 16S genes, including other Neotropical Apicotermitinae genera described to date, supports the new genus as a distinct terminal and the sister group to Disjunctitermes insularis.