Genus Caetetermes · 林白蚁属

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 soldier head is strongly constricted behind the antennae and bulbous posteriorly, the nasus is long and cylindrical and not particularly thickened at its base; the postclypeus is inclined and clearly visible in dorsal view; the mandibles lack apical points and bear a distinct but not sharply delimited thin horny patch at the apex. The worker left mandible index is 0.49, the apical tooth shorter than M1+2, the cutting edge of M1+2 undulate and separated from M3 by a sharp notch; the legs are long but shorter than in the soldier, with a weak swelling on the outer side of the fore coxa (a distinct swelling in the soldier).

Soldier

Head capsule strongly constricted behind the antennae, bulbous posteriorly; nasus long, cylindrical, not particularly thickened at its base; postclypeus inclined, clearly visible in dorsal view; mandibles without apical points, with a distinct but not sharply delimited thin horny patch at the apex.

Worker

(Major worker) postclypeus width/length 3.66–4.89; left mandible index 0.49, apical tooth shorter than M1+2; cutting edge of M1+2 undulate, separated from M3 by a sharp notch; M3 well developed, its posterior margin convex; legs long but shorter than in the soldier, with a weak swelling on the outer side of the fore coxa.

Sources: Fontes, L. R. 1981. Caetetermes taquarussu, a new genus and species of Ecuadorian nasute (Isoptera, Termitidae, Nasutitermitinae). Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 25(2): 135-140., pp. 135-137 This text is an adaptation, not a verbatim transcription of the original.