Taxonomic diversity and temporal dynamics of termites (Blattodea): A comprehensive analysis of the FACENAC biological collection.

Biological collections are essential repositories for biodiversity conservation and the advancement of taxonomic, ecological, and biogeographical research. In this context, the termite collection of the Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences and Surveying, National University of the Northeast (FACENAC, UNNE) represents Argentina's principal termite collection. This study aimed to evaluate the taxonomic diversity and the spatiotemporal dynamics of termites housed in this collection through an analysis of its historical records. A total of 2,365 records of specimens collected and identified between 1976 and 2015 were analyzed. Taxonomic data were validated using specialized literature and processed in RStudio, where taxonomic composition, species richness, spatial distribution, and temporal dynamics were assessed. The results revealed a clear predominance of the family Termitidae (2,107 records), followed by Kalotermitidae and Heterotermitidae. Nasutitermes was the best-represented genus, whereas Cortaritermes fulviceps was the most abundant species, accounting for more than 19% of all identified records. Temporal analysis showed a sustained increase in collecting effort over the four decades, with peaks in collecting activity in 1995, 2005, and between 2013 and 2015. A marked seasonal pattern was also observed, with the highest concentration of records during spring and summer. Regarding spatial distribution, Corrientes Province exhibited the highest richness of species recorded exclusively in the province, followed by Chaco, Misiones, and Formosa, confirming Northeastern Argentina (NEA) as the best-represented region in the collection. Furthermore, 1,063 records remain taxonomically unidentified, highlighting the collection's considerable scientific potential and emphasizing the need to strengthen the training of taxonomists. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive assessment of the FACENAC collection and highlights its importance as a valuable source of information for biodiversity, systematics, biogeography, and termite conservation research in Argentina.