Genus Ophiotermes · 蛇白蚁属
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Distribution map
About the genus
This genus belongs to the family Termitidae 白蚁科, in the subfamily Cubitermitinae 方白蚁亚科; the site records 7 species.
Type species: Ophiotermes mandibularis.
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 Greek ophis (snake) + Latin 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
The mandibles bend outwards at the middle to form an elbow and then curve slightly inwards towards the apex; Emerson (1928) used this to separate the genus from the remaining subgenera of Mirotermes and from related genera.
Soldier
The inner margin of each mandible bears a small but conspicuous tooth between the base and the elbow; the apex of the fore tibia has 3 spines, and the apices of the mid and hind tibiae 2 each; the fontanelle opening resembles that of the subgenus Cubitermes; the labrum is bilobed.
Worker
The second marginal tooth of the right mandible is lost in the alate–worker; Emerson (1960) noted that this pattern is similar only in Euchilotermes, Ophiotermes, Tuberculitermes and Spinitermes.
Sources: Emerson, A. E. 1928. Termites of the Belgian Congo and the Cameroon. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 57: 401–574., pp. 501–502（Subgenus Ophiotermes 一节）; Emerson, A. E. 1928. Termites of the Belgian Congo and the Cameroon. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 57: 401–574., pp. 501–502（Subgenus Ophiotermes 一节）; Emerson, A. E. 1960. Six new genera of Termitinae from the Belgian Congo (Isoptera, Termitidae). American Museum Novitates 1988: 1–24., p. 21（Nitiditermes 工蚁） This text is an adaptation, not a verbatim transcription of the original.
Species (7)
- Ophiotermes gracilis Weidner, 1974 细瘦蛇白蚁
- Ophiotermes grandilabius Emerson, 1928 大唇蛇白蚁
- Ophiotermes mandibularis Sjöstedt, 1905 显颚蛇白蚁 ★ Type species
- Ophiotermes mirandus Sjöstedt, 1905 惊奇蛇白蚁
- Ophiotermes receptus Sjöstedt, 1913 接受蛇白蚁
- Ophiotermes shabaensis Bouillon & Vincke, 1973 沙巴蛇白蚁
- Ophiotermes ugandaensis Sjöstedt, 1925 乌干达蛇白蚁
Parent level: Checklist index · Cubitermitinae 方白蚁亚科 · Data & downloads