Genus Anaorotermes · 无戟白蚁属

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 alate is distinguished from Ateuchotermes and Aderitotermes by the dense, irregular head pilosity, which does not form a felt, and from Alyscotermes, Astalotermes and Astratotermes by the oddly shaped, almost triangular fontanelle; Amicotermes has longer apical teeth. The worker enteric valve is unique in structure, and Sands considered no comparison necessary.

Worker

Large, W 0.88 mm. Fore tibia slender, Ti/Tw 5.89, with 3 apical spurs, the third smaller than the other two but not reduced. Apical tooth of the mandible short, La/Li 0.53, Ra/Ri 0.80; the proximal end of the subsidiary tooth of the left mandible has just left the molar prominence; the tip of the first marginal tooth of the right mandible lies slightly behind the line joining the apical tooth and the second marginal tooth, and its anterior margin is slightly shorter than that of the second. Midgut and hindgut overlap, extending to about twice the width of the midgut at the insertion of the Malpighian tubules, close to the right of the Malpighian knot. Enteric valve seat with 2 rather prominent outer lobes and 1 smaller inner lobe, joined by a short neck to the second hindgut pouch, whose muscle coat is very thick; in the undissected abdomen it lies dorsally. The four enteric valve cushions differ in form: the first is reduced, retracted and not sclerotised, at most with 1–2 minute scales or teeth on its inner face; the second projects slightly through the valve opening and bears 1 or 2 elongated sclerotised spines, the rest being a few minute spines; the third is sclerotised at the apex, hemispherical and evaginated, covered with about 35 stout, long, curved spines; the fourth projects through the valve opening, is sclerotised at the apex and bears 7–8 long outwardly curved spines arranged like a rake.

Alate

Large, W 1.11–1.13 mm. Fore tibia with 3 apical spurs, the third well developed. Apical tooth of the mandible short, La/Li 0.49–0.51, Ra/Ri 0.75–0.81; the proximal end of the subsidiary tooth of the left mandible is clear of the molar prominence; the tips of the apical and marginal teeth of the right mandible are more or less in line, and the anterior margins of the first and second marginal teeth are equal in length. Meso- and metanotal plates moderately wide at the constriction, M/W 0.31, transverse sutures present. Fontanelle almost triangular; head pilosity dense and irregular, not forming a felt.

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. 184–186 This text is an adaptation, not a verbatim transcription of the original.