Genus Grallatotermes · 高跷白蚁属

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

Sands regarded its alate mandibles as a unique combination among the African species: the cutting edge of the left mandible has a deep incision between the 1st and 3rd marginal teeth, and the right molar plate has 13–14 ridges with no obvious irregularity in surface outline. The incision is shared with Fulleritermes and Leptomyxotermes, but this genus has the most molar ridges (Fulleritermes 7–9, with a concavity on the anterior edge of the molar plate near the base; Leptomyxotermes 6–7, with very large compound eyes and ocelli). The soldier is monomorphic, the nasus thick but only weakly conical, sharply tapering at the tip, the head slightly constricted behind the antennae, and the setae confined to 4 at the tip of the nasus and paired hairs on the postclypeus and vertex.

Alate

The apical tooth of the left mandible is slightly shorter than the 1st marginal tooth, the distance between them being about one-quarter of that between the 1st and 3rd marginal teeth (left mandible index about 25); the 2nd marginal tooth is delimited by a deep incision in front of the 3rd marginal tooth, and the small subsidiary tooth connecting the 3rd marginal tooth with the molar prominence lies, seen from above, behind the gap between the two. In the right mandible the apical tooth and 1st marginal tooth are nearly equal in length, the posterior cutting edge of the 1st marginal tooth is shorter than that of the 2nd and does not overlap the anterior edge of the 2nd marginal tooth (the surface overlap being buried in a smooth, shining fused surface); the outline of the molar plate in surface view shows no obvious irregularity, with 13–14 ridges diminishing posteriorly. Postclypeus short, slightly convex, about one-third as long as wide. Fontanelle pale, slightly T-shaped. Pronotum with an almost non-convex anterior margin. Cephalic pilosity sparse, fine and uniform, with only a few more conspicuous setae.

Soldier

Monomorphic. Nasus thick but only weakly conical, sharply tapering at the tip. Vestigial mandibles with a point. Head capsule slightly constricted behind the antennae; setae only 4 at the tip of the nasus, plus those arranged in pairs on the postclypeus and the two sides of the vertex.

Sources: Sands W.A. 1965. A revision of the termite subfamily Nasutitermitinae (Isoptera, Termitidae) from the Ethiopian Region. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), Entomology, Supplement 4: 1–172. https://doi.org/10.5962/p.193228, p. 55（Genus Grallatotermes Holmgren：Imago / Soldier；Remarks） This text is an adaptation, not a verbatim transcription of the original.