Genus Cylindrotermes · 圆筒白蚁属

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

Soldier head subrectangular and elongate, labrum usually pentagonal; frontal pore small, situated in the anterior 1/4 of the head, behind the antennal insertions; postmentum narrow and long, about 3/4 of the head length; mandibles symmetrical, curved, each with 1 tooth, the tooth position varying between species, the molar area visible at the base of the mandibles in all species; pronotum in lateral view with the anterior and posterior lobes at nearly 180°, both lobes semicircular; tibial spur formula 3:2:2, mid tibia with 2 spines (1 apical, 1 proximal), hind tibia with 1 apical spine. Alate head circular or slightly elongate, compound eyes hemispherical, medium-sized, not very prominent; ocelli oval to circular, not touching the compound eyes; antennae 11–13-segmented, segment 3 completely or partly divided. Worker head circular, mandibular characters as below.

Soldier

Head subrectangular, elongate; labrum generally pentagonal; frontal pore small, opening in the anterior 1/4 of the head, behind the antennal insertions; postmentum narrow and long, about 3/4 of the head length; mandibles symmetrical, curved, each with 1 tooth, the tooth position varying between species, the molar area visible at the base of the mandibles in all species of this genus; pronotum in lateral view with the angle between the anterior and posterior lobes nearly 180°, both lobes semicircular; tibial spur formula 3:2:2; mid tibia with 2 spines, one at the apex and one proximally at about 1/3 of the total length, hind tibia with 1 apical spine; pilosity varying greatly in density between species. Head capsule yellowish brown, thorax and legs whitish, abdomen transparent; body colour differs little between species.

Worker

Head circular. Mandibles: apical tooth close in size to the marginal tooth, forming an acute angle with M1+2; left mandible with the cutting edge between M1+2 and M3 straight, M3 smaller than M1+2, the gap between M3 and the molar prominence very narrow, molar prominence with distinct striae; right mandible M2 smaller than M1, molar plate with 5 distinct striae. Tibial spur formula 3:2:2. Body colour always whitish or slightly yellowish, without differences between species.

Alate

Head circular or slightly elongate in dorsal view, narrow in lateral view; compound eyes hemispherical, medium-sized, not very prominent; ocelli oval to circular, slightly prominent, not touching the compound eyes; antennae 11–13-segmented, segment 3 completely or partly divided; pronotum trapezoidal; posterior margins of the meso- and metanotal plates usually sharper in females than in males; tibial spur formula 3:2:2, mid tibia with 2 spines, hind tibia with 1 apical spine; wings about 1.5 times the body length; head with short hairs and setae, density varying between species, some species also with microtrichia; forewing with sparse short hairs, hindwing with or without; head capsule dark brown, densely covered with pale spots at the bases of the setae and with short hairs, mandibles paler than the head capsule with dark teeth, labrum dark brown, antennae dark brown; head and pronotum with large, variable pale spots, always 2 between the postclypeus and the ocelli, visible in dorsal view; abdominal tergites and sternites paler than the head capsule, both with pale spots at the hair bases, sternites paler at the sides than in the centre; legs pale yellow, paler than the head.

Sources: Da Rocha M. M.; Cancello E. M. 2007. Estudo taxonômico de Cylindrotermes Holmgren (Isoptera, Termitidae Termitinae). Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 47(10): 137–152., pp. 141–142 This text is an adaptation, not a verbatim transcription of the original.