Genus Rounditermes · 胖白蚁属

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

Distinguished from the closely allied Cortaritermes as follows: the soldier antennae are constantly 14-segmented, the head capsule longer and broader, the hind tibia relatively longer, the face of the head lacking microtrichia, the nasus more conical and shorter. The original twice emphasises that the head capsule is circular and as long as wide and is unconstricted behind the level of the antennal fossae, on which basis it can be distinguished from the various species of Cortaritermes, which have a narrower head capsule and a more slender, elongate nasus; the generic name is taken from the circular shape of the soldier head capsule.

Soldier

(1) Head dark brown, circular, as long as wide, unconstricted behind the level of the antennae; (2) nasus conical, slightly upturned; (3) a few long hairs on the face of the head, mainly around the base of the nasus; (4) 4–5 long hairs and several small hairs at the tip of the nasus, a few hairs at its base; (5) mandibles slender and weak, small, reduced, but with a distinct sharp point; (6) antennae nearly concolorous with the head, constantly 14-segmented; segment 1 longer than the rest, segment 2 shorter than the rest, segment 3 slightly longer than segment 5, segments 3 and 4 about equal in length; (7) pronotum pale brown, its anterior margin raised and notched, with about 7 long erect setae and a few fine hairs posteriorly; the pronotum broadly rounded at its anterior and posterior margins, concave in the middle and depressed on both sides; (8) abdominal tergites yellowish brown, with several hairs on the posterior margin; (9) sternites yellow, with numerous long hairs on the posterior margin; (10) legs yellow, slender, the tibiae and femora bearing rows of long hairs and spines; (11) means for specimen no. 10: body length 5.20 mm, head length including nasus 1.99 mm, head width 1.55 mm, nasus length 0.72 mm, pronotum length 0.40 mm, antennal length 1.97 mm, hind tibia 1.77 mm, hind tibia about 0.9 times the head length.

Sources: Ensaf, A., Ponchel, Y. & Nel, A. 2003. Rounditermes dechambrei, a new genus and species of Nasutitermitinae from French Guiana (Isopt., Termitidae). Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, 108(1): 53–54. https://doi.org/10.3406/bsef.2003.16919, p. 53（Diagnosis），p. 53–54（Descriptions — Soldiers） This text is an adaptation, not a verbatim transcription of the original.