A New Fossil Termite (Isoptera, Stolotermitidae, Stolotermes) from the Early Miocene of Otago, New Zealand

The forewing of a termite from Early Miocene lake sediments in Otago, southern New Zealand is figured and described. It exhibits the generic characters of the damp-wood termite Stolotermes Hagen, but differs from forewings of the known species in size and venation pattern and is described as Stolotermes kupe sp. nov. S. hupe represents the first confident record of fossil Stolotermitidae and extends the fossil record of the family back to the Early Miocene. It also is the first direct evidence of fossil Isoptera from New Zealand, though silicified termite faecal pellets, referable to Kalotermes brauni, have been previously described. S. kupe indicates that Stolotermitidae has been present in the Australasian region since at least the Early Miocene.