Genus Acholotermes · 顺白蚁属

Morphology

The descriptions below are an adaptation of the original genus-level accounts; terms follow the meaning of the source, and the original is not transcribed verbatim.

Diagnostic characters

The mandibular apical teeth are long in both castes, and Sands took this as the main character separating Acholotermes from most other genera. Three of the four species are morphologically compact and share much in common; the fourth, A. epius, has a longer mixed segment and a reduced third spur on the fore tibia, resembling certain species of Anenteotermes and Astalotermes, and also clustering with them in numerical classification.

Worker

Medium-sized, head width W 0.70–0.80 mm. Fore tibia slightly to moderately inflated, length/width ratio Ti/Tw 3.91–5.30, with 3 apical spurs, the third usually well developed, small or reduced in only one species. Mandibular apical teeth long to very long, La/Li 0.81–1.07, Ra/Ri 0.97–1.29; left mandible accessory marginal tooth just clear of the molar prominence in surface view or separated by a distinct notch; right mandible with the apex of the 1st marginal tooth distinctly behind the line between the apical tooth and the 2nd marginal tooth, its anterior margin shorter than or equal to the 2nd marginal tooth. Midgut–hindgut junction nearly transverse, to the right of the Malpighian tubule knot (3–4 species), or overlapping up to twice the midgut width and touching the Malpighian tubule knot (4th species). Enteric valve seat distinct but not prominently trilobed, connected by a long neck to the second hindgut pouch, laterally to dorsally situated in the unopened abdomen; enteric valve inner cushion with scales, the posterior margin of each scale bearing 1 to several minute spines or needles.

Alate

Medium-sized, W 0.84–1.06 mm. Fore tibia with 3 apical spurs, the third small to well developed. Mandibular apical teeth long, La/Li 0.68–1.04, Ra/Ri 0.92–1.45; left mandible accessory marginal tooth with its proximal end level with or slightly clear of the molar prominence edge; right mandible with the apex of the 1st marginal tooth slightly to distinctly behind the line between the apical tooth and the 2nd marginal tooth, its anterior margin equal to or slightly longer than the 2nd marginal tooth. Meso- and metanotal plates narrow to slightly broad at the constriction, M/W 0.25–0.32; transverse suture weak or absent in the type species, present in the other species.

Sources: Sands W. A. 1972. The soldierless termites of Africa (Isoptera: Termitidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), Entomology Supplement 18: 1–244. doi 10.5962/p.192782., pp. 139–141 This text is an adaptation, not a verbatim transcription of the original.