Genus Thoracotermes · 胸白蚁属

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

Monotypic genus, with only Thoracotermes macrothorax (Sjöst.), from Cameroon and the Congo. In Holmgren's generic key it is distinguished from related genera by 'styli present' together with 'pronotum very broad, rather flat, yellow'. Alate antennae 16 segments, thickening towards the apex, the third and fourth segments small; soldier head quadrangular, frontal gland opening large and upright, surrounded by a ring of hairs, labrum ligulate, antennae 15 segments; worker antennae also 15 segments, mandibular first tooth much larger than the second.

Alate

Head broadly oval, broader than long. Frontal gland opening elongate, deeply depressed. Compound eyes very large, strongly projecting; ocelli about their own diameter from the compound eyes. Antennae long, 16 segments, thickening towards the apex, the third and fourth segments small. Mandibular first tooth longer than the teeth behind it. Base of clypeus shorter than half its width, strongly arched. Pronotum semilunar, as broad as the head without the compound eyes. Hindwing dark, the venation very different from that of the forewing: the media of the forewing trifurcate in the apical third; the hindwing with two additional cross-veins, the first stronger, running obliquely backwards in the middle of the wing and joining the media, the second arising from the radial sector in the apical quarter of the wing, running towards the wing apex and rejoining the radial sector, thus enclosing a long elliptical area. The cubitus is similar in both wings, with 11–12 branches. The stylus of the male is the only appendage (according to Wasmann 1911).

Soldier

Head quadrangular, the angles rounded, longer than broad, narrowing slightly anteriorly, highly arched, anterior margin truncate. Frontal gland opening large, vertical, surrounded by a ring of hairs. Base of clypeus flat, with a white apex. Labrum ligulate, longer than broad, anterior margin bluntly pointed, with a broad longitudinal groove or channel, the anterior part covered with setae. Mandibles with typical Termes-type teeth. Antennae 15 segments, third small. Pronotum short and very broad, darker in colour than the rest of the body. Fore tibia with 3 apical spurs, mid and hind tibiae with 2 each. Cerci short. Styli present, though small.

Worker

Head broadly oval, widest at the antennal insertions. Base of clypeus large, strongly arched, about as long as half its width. Labrum broader than long. Mandibular first tooth much larger than the second. Antennae 15 segments, third segment as long as broad. Pronotum small. Cerci short. Styli present.

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. 98—99（archive.org 项 biostor-184513 页面图像） This text is an adaptation, not a verbatim transcription of the original.