Data from: Mitochondrial phylogenetics position a new Afrotropical termite species into its own subfamily, the Engelitermitinae (Blattodea: Termitidae)

While new species of termites are described every year, the description of species distant from every known termite species is rare. In this paper, we describe one such species, <em>Engelitermes zambo</em><strong> sp. n.</strong>, an African Termitidae belonging to an entirely new lineage of termites for which we create a new subfamily, Engelitermitinae<strong> subfam. n.</strong> The subfamily status of Engelitermitinae was supported by termite phylogenetic trees, including sequences from the four existing samples of <em>E. zambo </em><strong>sp. n.</strong>, which, albeit with low bootstrap supports, placed <em>Engelitermes</em> <strong>gen. n.</strong> on a long branch sister to <em>Forficulitermes</em>, the two of which formed the sister group of a clade comprising Cubitermitinae, Nasutitermitinae, Syntermitinae, and all other Termitinae. The sister relationship between <em>Engelitermes </em><strong>gen. n.</strong> and<em> Forficulitermes</em> is further supported by the similar gut structure of their workers. In contrast, the soldiers of <em>Engelitermes </em><strong>gen. n.</strong> resemble those of <em>Cephalotermes</em>. Our phylogenetic analyses, including all clades of Termitinae, call for a global taxonomic revision of Termitinae subfamily names. Finally, our study highlights that new unique termite lineages are still awaiting to be described.