Open AccessA giant termite of the genus <i>Gyatermes</i> from the late Miocene of Nagano Prefecture, Japan (Isoptera)
Author(s) -
Michael S. Engel,
Toshiaki Tanaka
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
novitates paleoentomologicae
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2329-5880
DOI - 10.17161/np.v0i10.4900
Subject(s) - neogene , late miocene , fauna , genus , paleontology , congener , geology , biology , zoology , ecology , structural basin , chemistry , chromatography
A new species of the termite genus Gyatermes Engel & Gross (Archotermopsidae) is described and figured from a beautifully preserved forewing in late Neogene sediments of Nagano Prefecture, central Japan. The approximately 27-mm long forewing of Gyatermes naganoensis Engel & Tanaka, new species, is preserved in Late Miocene (late Messinian) mudstone of the Ogawa Formation ( ca . 6 Ma), and is distinguished from its slightly older and larger congener G. styriensis Engel & Gross, from the early Tortonian of Styria, Austria. Comments are provided regarding the paleoclimatic implications of a giant termite in the Miocene fauna of Nagano.