Genus Syntermes · 聚白蚁属

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

Soldier monotypic, antennae 19–20 segments, the segments long and elongate; pronotum strongly saddle-shaped, anterior lobe large, anterior corners produced, often spine-like. Alate antennae 20–21 segments, labrum broader than long, without a transverse band, frontal gland opening large, circular to oval, ocelli far from the compound eyes; cerci short, styli absent. All the species listed by Holmgren 1912 are from South America.

Alate

Head broadly oval. Frontal gland opening large, circular to oval. Compound eyes relatively small, strongly projecting; ocelli very far from the compound eyes. Base of clypeus about as long as half its width, more or less strongly arched, apex hyaline. Labrum broader than long, without a transverse band. Mandibles with Termes-type dentition. Antennae 20–21 segments, rather long. Pronotum broad, shorter than half its width, anterior corners often acute; posterior margins of meso- and metanotum weakly arcuate. Wings long, hyaline, costa brown; radius very short; media of forewing arising beyond the wing scale, media of hindwing arising at the base of the radial sector, weakly branched; cubitus many-branched. Fore tibia with 3 apical spurs, mid and hind tibiae with only 2. Cerci short, styli absent. Female abdomen without exudatory hairs, longitudinally finely wrinkled.

Soldier

Monotypic. Head large and rather broad, narrowing anteriorly, flattened and arched. Frontal gland opening and frontal gland present, opening at the apex of a very short frontal tube; frons depressed. Clypeus very short. Labrum short and broad, apex trilobed, the median lobe usually hyaline. Mandibles stout, rather strongly curved; left mandible with the base of the apex slightly expanded, then abruptly narrowing, often with a very strong tooth beyond the apex, with 2 smaller teeth inside this tooth and usually a stout basal tooth; right mandible with a slightly nodular basal tooth. Antennal segments long and elongate, 19–20 in total. Pronotum strongly saddle-shaped, anterior lobe large, anterior corners produced, often spine-like; meso- and metanotum either with spine-like elongated anterior corners or with angular sides. Legs long; fore tibia with 3 apical spurs, mid and hind tibiae with only 2.

Worker

Two forms. Head pentagonal, rounded, widest at the level of the antennae. Frontal gland opening large, circular; head sutures visible. Base of clypeus almost as long as half its width, arched, apex relatively small and hyaline. Labrum broader than long, without a transverse band. Mandibles of Termes type. Antennae long, 19–20 segments. Pronotum saddle-shaped, with a large anterior lobe; lateral angles of the thoracic nota with or without lateral spines. Legs long; tibial spurs and cerci as in the soldier.

Sources: Holmgren, N. 1912. Termitenstudien 3. Systematik der Termiten. Die Familien Mastotermitidae, Protermitidae und Mesotermitidae. Kungliga Svenska Vetenskapsakademiens Handlingar 48(4): 1–166, Taf. 1–4., pp. 46—47（archive.org 项 biostor-184513 页面图像） This text is an adaptation, not a verbatim transcription of the original.