Termitidae

 ( Termites ) 

Termitidae is the largest family of consisting of 2,125 described species of which are common name known as the higher termites. They are evolutionarily the most specialised termite group, with their highly compartmentalized hindgut lacking the Protozoa common to "lower termites", which are instead replaced by bacteria and archaea. Whereas lower termites are restricted mostly to woody tissue, higher termites have diverse diets consisting of wood, grass, leaf litter, fungi, lichen, faeces, humus and soil.Breznak JA, Brune A. 1994. Role of microorganisms in the digestion of lignocellulose by termites.

Annual Review of Entomology 39(1):453–487 Around 60% of species rely on soil-feeding alone.

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Systematics The family contains the following subfamilies:

Family Termitidae Latreille, 1802

: subfamily Sphaerotermitinae Engel & Kumar Krishna, 2004

: subfamily Macrotermitinae Kemner, 1934, nomen protectum ICZN (synonyms: Acanthotermitinae Sjöstedt, 1926, nomen rejiciendum ICZN; Odontotermitini Weidner, 1956)

: subfamily Foraminitermitinae Nils Holmgren, 1912 (synonym: Pseudomicrotermitinae Holmgren, 1912)

: subfamily Apicotermitinae Grassé & Noirot, 1954 1955 (synonym: Indotermitidae Roonwal & Sen Sarma in Roonwal, 1958)

: subfamily Microcerotermitinae Holmgren, 1910

: subfamily Syntermitinae Engel & Krishna, 2004 (synonym: Cornitermitinae Ensaf et al., 2004, nomen nudum)

: subfamily Forficulitermitinae Hellemans, Engel, & Bourguignon, 2024

: subfamily Engelitermitinae Romero Arias, Roisin, & Scheffrahn, 2024

: subfamily Crepititermitinae Hellemans, Engel, & Bourguignon, 2024

: subfamily Protohamitermitinae Hellemans, Engel, & Bourguignon, 2024

: subfamily Cylindrotermitinae Hellemans, Engel, & Bourguignon, 2024

: subfamily Neocapritermitinae Hellemans, Engel, & Bourguignon, 2024

: subfamily Nasutitermitinae Hare, 1937

: subfamily Promirotermitinae Hellemans, Engel, & Bourguignon, 2024

: subfamily Mirocapritermitinae Kemner, 1934

: subfamily Amitermitinae Kemner, 1934

: subfamily Cubitermitinae Weidner, 1956

: subfamily Termitinae Latreille, 1802 (synonyms: Mirotermitini Weidner, 1956; Capritermitini Weidner, 1956)

Current phylogeny of the Termitidae:

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Identification Imago forewing and hindwing scales either evenly or closely sized and non-overlapping. Both forewing and hindwing scales have a developed suture with strongly sclerotized and reduced veins. Ocelli of imago typically (but not always) protruding above head capsule.

Pronotum of all castes is "saddled", with a pronounced anterior lobe as a result of the pronotum's anterior corners being depressed. Postclypeus of the worker and imago both swollen and protruding from head capsule

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