Genus Heimitermes · 埃姆白蚁属

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

Alate unknown. Soldier head thick and massive, the sides straight, parallel or flatly convex, with a distinct and rather deep pit between the base of the postclypeus and the opening of the frontal gland; postmentum widest behind the bases of the mandibles, constricted posteriorly; mandibles short and stout, the apices slightly hooked, each mandible with 1 small tooth slightly in front of the midpoint; lateral and posterior margins of the pronotum flared, the anterior margin broad and evenly slightly convex, without a median notch; the sharp longitudinal ridge of the fore coxa bears a long and conspicuous nipple-like process; apical spur formula 2:2:2, the outer upper surface of the fore tibia with a white circular spot. Worker with a large mandibular apical tooth, a deep incision between the first and second marginal teeth and the third marginal tooth on the left mandible, and a small second marginal tooth on the right mandible.

Soldier

Head thick and massive, with scattered setae, denser on the frons and the sides, a few short hairs near the fontanelle; sides straight, parallel or flatly convex; between the base of the postclypeus and the opening of the frontal gland there is a distinct and rather deep pit; the side of the head is curved in the frontal gland region and slightly bulbously swollen near the vertex. Postmentum widest behind the bases of the mandibles, the sides rounded at the widest point, becoming straight and constricted posteriorly, with a small constriction before the concave posterior margin; the lateral sutures of the postmentum are visible along the whole length except anteriorly. Postclypeus distinct, broadly hexagonal, with a clear suture separating it from the front of the head. Labrum with a white apical area, the sides of the base nearly parallel, usually curved downwards, distinctly shorter than the postclypeus, about 1/3 as wide as the postclypeus. Mandibles short and stout, the apices slightly hooked; each mandible with 1 small tooth slightly in front of the midpoint, and another small tooth at the end of the stout base projecting on the ventral surface, this tooth not continuous with the cutting edge from the apical tooth to the middle tooth but situated in front of the small molar plate, forming a somewhat independent blunt cutting edge. Lateral and posterior margins of the pronotum slightly flared, the anterior margin broad and evenly slightly convex, without a distinct notch or incision, the lateral margins rounded, the middle of the posterior margin concave and depressed. On the sharp longitudinal ridge of the fore coxa there is a very long and conspicuous nipple-like process with a rounded apex; this process is stouter and shorter than in Coxotermes, with a more concave basal face. The middle of the fore femur is as thick as in Coxotermes. Apical spur formula 2:2:2; the outer upper surface of each fore tibia bears a white circular spot, possibly the base of a reduced outer apical spur.

Worker

The principal generic characters of the mandibles are: the apical tooth is very large relative to the first marginal tooth; there is a distinct incision between the first and second marginal teeth and the third marginal tooth on the left mandible; the second marginal tooth of the right mandible is small. The sharp longitudinal ridge of the fore coxa bears a conspicuous triangular process, but not so tooth-like as in the soldier.

Sources: Emerson A. E. 1959. The African termite genera Firmitermes, Hoplognathotermes, Acutidentitermes, Duplidentitermes, and Heimitermes (Termitidae, Termitinae). American Museum Novitates 1947: 1–43., pp. 34–37（Genus Heimitermes, soldier; worker） This text is an adaptation, not a verbatim transcription of the original.