Genus Obtusitermes · 钝白蚁属
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Distribution map
About the genus
This genus belongs to the family Termitidae 白蚁科, in the subfamily Nasutitermitinae 象白蚁亚科; the site records 4 species.
Type species: Obtusitermes panamae.
This page includes a distribution map for the genus (GBIF records aggregated on a 1° grid); open a species entry to see its type locality, distribution, and references.
Etymology
From Latin obtusus (blunt) + termes.
The etymologies in this section are analytical breakdowns; the roots follow Brown (1956).
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 monotypic, which is the origin of the genus name. Soldier antennae with fewer than 13 segments. The hindgut structure is unique among the Isoptera: P1 is connected to P3 by a very long tubular P2, P2 bent through about 180°, both ends weakly sclerotised.
Soldier
Monotypic, small; head capsule reddish brown, nasus darker; head capsule pear-shaped in dorsal view, constricted at the anterior 1/3, convex in lateral view behind the antennal fossae; nasus broadly conical, upturned about 10°; antennae 11 segments, segment formula 2<3>4≤5; mandibles with small tooth processes. The number of vertex setae differs between species: O. monomorphus has only 6 long setae, whereas O. panamae and O. formosulus have many scattered long and short setae.
Worker
Monotypic; antennae 12 segments; midgut and P1 tubular, the mixed segment absent, P1 with a slightly darker constriction near the middle; left mandible apical tooth as long as the 1st marginal tooth, molar plate ridged; the sclerotised part of the enteric valve very long, tubular, the two rings separated by about 1 mm of smooth cuticle.
Alate
Postclypeus slightly arched in lateral view, anterior margin straight, posterior margin slightly convex, as in Sandsitermes, Caetetermes, Caribitermes, Cortaritermes and Nasutitermes.
Sources: Scheffrahn, R. H., Roisin, Y., Wang, C., Bourguignon, T. & Hellemans, S. 2025. Obtusitermes monomorphus, a new termite species (Blattodea: Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae) from Panama. Zootaxa 5583(3): 567–578., pp. 572–574（种级 treatment，含属级比较）; Constantino, R. & Acioli, A. N. S. 2009. Ngauratermes arue, new genus and species of nasute termite (Isoptera: Termitidae) from the Amazon. Zootaxa 2239: 22–30., p. 24（Antillitermes/Obtusitermes 比较）; Cuezzo, C., Cancello, E. M. & Carrijo, T. F. 2017. Sandsitermes gen. nov., a new nasute termite genus from South America (Isoptera, Termitidae, Nasutitermitinae). Zootaxa 4221(5): 562–574., 比较段（有翅成虫） This text is an adaptation, not a verbatim transcription of the original.
Species (4)
Parent level: Checklist index · Nasutitermitinae 象白蚁亚科 · Data & downloads