Genus Drepanotermes · 镰白蚁属

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

Relatively large in size; alate unknown. Soldier: head rectangular, flatly convex; postclypeus bilobed; labrum oval and slightly pointed; mandibles very long, strongly sickle-curved and slender, with 1 long, obliquely truncate tooth almost at the middle, perpendicular to the inner margin; antennae 17-segmented; fore tibia with 3 apical spurs. Worker: head large, broadly oval; fontanelle and sagittal suture very conspicuous; postclypeus very large and arched; antennae 18-segmented.

Soldier

Relatively large in size; colour more or less dark. Head rectangular, flatly convex; fontanelle indistinct; pale ocular spots behind the eyes. Postclypeus bilobed. Labrum oval, slightly pointed. Mandibles very long, strongly sickle-curved, slender, with 1 long, obliquely truncate tooth almost at the middle, perpendicular to the inner margin. Antennae 17-segmented, segments elongate; segment 2 as long as segments 3 and 4 together. Pronotum slightly narrower than the head, concolorous; remaining tergites slightly paler. Legs long; fore tibia with 3 apical spurs.

Worker

As large as or slightly larger than the soldier, same colour, legs long. Head large, broadly oval; fontanelle very distinct; sagittal suture very distinct, transverse suture indistinct; ocelli vestigial. Pale ocular spots behind the antennae. Postclypeus very large, arched, margins pale; labrum wider than long, pale. Antennae 18-segmented, segment 2 as long as segments 3 and 4 together, segment 3 distinctly longer than segment 4, segment 5 slightly longer than segment 3. Pronotum much narrower than the head. Fore tibia with 3 apical spurs.

Sources: Holmgren N. 1912. Termitenstudien. 3. Systematik der Termiten. Die Familie Metatermitidae. Kungliga Svenska Vetenskapsakademiens Handlingar 48(4): 1–166., pp. 89–90（Untergattung Drepanotermes；Imago unbekannt、Soldat、Arbeiter） This text is an adaptation, not a verbatim transcription of the original.