Genus Pilotermes · 棘白蚁属

Fauna Sinica account

The account below is a reorganized and rewritten adaptation of the genus-level description in Fauna Sinica, Insecta Vol. 17, Isoptera (2000) (the genus-level account of Pilotermes in the original book, reorganised and rewritten); the source keys and measurement tables are not reproduced here.

Morphology

Key characters

Soldier dimorphic: the head of the major soldier is nearly circular, deeply emarginate at the middle of the posterior margin, the nasus shorter than the head width; the head of the minor soldier is elongate pyriform, the nasus longer than the head width; the mandibles in both lack sharp teeth, the sides of the middle of the postmentum are constricted waist-like, antennae 12–13-segmented.

Soldier

Soldier in two forms, major and minor. In the major soldier the head and nasus are densely covered with fine short hairs, while the dorsum of the pronotum is bare. Head nearly circular, slightly broader than long, deeply emarginate at the middle of the posterior margin, not constricted below the posterior side of the antennal sockets; nasus shorter than the head width, not constricted at the base; antennae 13-segmented; mandibles without sharp teeth; the sides of the middle of the postmentum narrowed waist-like. Pronotum broader than long, its anterior margin slightly concave at the middle, the posterior margin not concave. In the minor soldier the head is elongate pyriform, longer than broad, the middle of the posterior margin slightly concave, the nasus longer than the head width, slightly raised at the base like a small mound, antennae 12-segmented, the sharp teeth of the mandibles absent or very inconspicuous. Tibial spur formula 2:2:2 in both forms, tarsi 4-segmented.

Worker

Worker with a Y-shaped suture on the dorsum of the head, antennae 13–14-segmented. The posterior margins of the apical teeth of both the left and right mandibles are longer than the anterior margin of the first marginal tooth; in the left mandible the anterior and posterior margins of the third marginal tooth are almost equal in length, and the first and second marginal teeth are fused; in the right mandible the apical distance between the apical tooth and the first marginal tooth is shorter than that between the first and second marginal teeth. Tibial spur formula 2:2:2, tarsi 4-segmented.

Distribution

Oriental region; recorded from Jiangxi and other parts of China, an element of subtropical forests.

Summary

Pilotermes has dimorphic soldiers. The major soldier has a nearly circular head slightly broader than long, densely covered with short hairs, its posterior margin distinctly concave, the nasus shorter than the head width and not constricted at the base, and 13-segmented antennae. The minor soldier has a pear-shaped head longer than broad, a nasus longer than the head width, and 12-segmented antennae. Mandibles lack pointed tips. Workers show a Y-shaped epicranial suture. The genus is Oriental.

Sources cited: Huang Fusheng, Zhu Shimo, Ping Zhengming, Wang Zhiguo, Li Can and Xu Chungui, 2000. Fauna Sinica, Insecta Vol. 17, Isoptera. Beijing: Science Press. This text is a reorganized adaptation, not a verbatim transcription.