Genus Australitermes · 澳大利亚白蚁属

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 left mandible index is 1.54, the highest in the Australian Subulitermes lineage (Macrosubulitermes 1.07); the fontanelle is elongate and narrowly oval and not forked at the apex; the length of the postclypeus is greater than half its width. The soldier is monomorphic, the head has a small constriction, and the lateral outline of the pronotum forms an angle close to a right angle between the anterior lobe and the base.

Soldier

Monomorphic; head with a small constriction, visible in both dorsal and lateral view; lateral outline of the pronotum forming an angle close to a right angle between the anterior lobe and the base.

Alate

Eyes and ocelli large, the distance between the ocellus and the eye suture less than its width, its length 0.15 mm, greater than the 0.12 mm diameter of the antennal fossa; fontanelle elongate and narrowly oval, without a distinct fork at the apex; postclypeus much longer than half its width (length 0.32 mm, width 0.50 mm); antennae 15 segments, segment 3 longer than segment 4, segment 4 longer than segment 2; left mandible index 1.54 (Macrosubulitermes 1.07), the highest in the Australian Subulitermes lineage.

Sources: Emerson, A. E. 1960. New genera of termites related to Subulitermes from the Oriental, Malagasy, and Australian regions (Isoptera, Termitidae, Nasutitermitinae). American Museum Novitates 1986: 1-28., pp. 24-26 This text is an adaptation, not a verbatim transcription of the original.