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.尽管每年均有白蚁新种被正式记述，但与所有已知白蚁类群亲缘关系甚远的物种的记述却极为少见。本文记述了一类这样的物种——*Engelitermes zambo* sp. n.（新种），该物种为非洲分布的白蚁科（Termitidae）类群，隶属于一个全新的白蚁支系，我们为此建立了新亚科Engelitermitinae subfam. n.（新亚科）。基于纳入4份现存*E. zambo* sp. n.样本序列的白蚁系统发育树（phylogenetic tree）分析，支持将Engelitermitinae确立为新亚科的分类地位；尽管分析所得自举支持值（bootstrap support）较低，但结果显示新属*Engelitermes* gen. n.（新属）位于与*Forficulitermes*互为姐妹群的长演化分支上，二者共同构成了包含弯颚白蚁亚科（Cubitermitinae）、象鼻白蚁亚科（Nasutitermitinae）、拱白蚁亚科（Syntermitinae）以及所有其他白蚁亚科（Termitinae）类群的演化支（clade）的姐妹群。新属*Engelitermes* gen. n.与*Forficulitermes*的姐妹群关系，进一步得到二者工蚁肠道结构相似性的佐证。与之形成鲜明对比的是，新属*Engelitermes* gen. n.的兵蚁形态与*Cephalotermes*的兵蚁较为相似。本次系统发育分析涵盖了白蚁亚科的所有演化支，结果呼吁对白蚁亚科的分类名称开展全球性的分类修订。最后，本研究凸显了仍有大量独特的白蚁新支系等待被正式记述。