Forficulitermes planifrons 扁额剪白蚁
- Type locality
- Democratic Republic of the Congo: Sona Mpangu
- Distribution
- Central Africa, Cameroon
List： English (genus page) · 中文 · Español
Summary
Forficulitermes planifrons is the only extant species of the genus Forficulitermes, in the family TERMITIDAE (subfamily Forficulitermitinae). The species was described by Emerson in 1960; the type locality is Democratic Republic of the Congo: Sona Mpangu. Distribution: Central Africa, Cameroon.
Etymology
Genus name Forficulitermes: From Latin forficula (little shears, earwig) + termes.
Specific epithet planifrons: Latin planus (flat) + frons (front), flat-fronted
Taxonomic position
- Family: TERMITIDAE — 280 genera, 2144 species
- Subfamily: Forficulitermitinae — 1 genus, 1 species
- Genus: Forficulitermes — monotypic, 1 species
Distribution
- Distribution records: Central Africa, Cameroon
The record above follows the wording of the original data; no geocoding or standardized place names have been applied.
Morphology
The description below is paraphrased from the original or a later revision, by caste; the source is cited at the end.
Diagnostic characters
The soldier labrum has two lateral points and a distinctly projecting median lobe, on which basis it is allied to Basidentitermes, Proboscitermes, Orthotermes, Profastigitermes and Fastigitermes; it is a small and peculiar group that branched off near Basidentitermes.
Soldier
In dorsal view the head is nearly square, its sides almost straight or slightly convex, and the frons and vertex flatter than in related genera; the frontal gland lies in a small depression, and on each side in front of its opening there are two flat longitudinal ridges; the front of the labrum bears two lateral points and a distinctly projecting median lobe; the mandibles are of the biting type, relatively straight and slender, not hooked at the apex; the base of the left mandible has a small sharp tooth followed by a deep, small angular bend ending in a spine-like projection.
Worker
The mandibles resemble those of the more primitive groups near Basidentitermes; the apical tooth is larger than marginal tooth 1; the right mandible has a distinct marginal tooth 2.
This genus is monotypic, containing only this species; the following is the genus-level description based on the original literature; species-level measurements and intraspecific variation are given in the original.
Distribution map
No GBIF record with coordinates was found for this species.
Related papers
Cached papers for this genus (matched automatically, for reference); to search this species with its junior synonyms merged in, use the literature search.
- Redescription and reclassification of the African termite, Forficulitermes planifrons (Isoptera, Termitidae, Termitinae)
Abstract
Forficulitermes planifrons is a monotypic genus and species described by Emerson (1960) from three soldiers and a single worker. All known occurrences of Forficulitermes (Emerson 1960, Wango & Josens 2011, this study) originate from equatorial middle Africa. Emerson (1960) compared soldiers of Forficulitermes with Basidentitermes, Proboscitermes, Orthotermes, Profastigitermes, and Fastigitermes, (the latter all in the Cubitermitinae) with respect to the general shape of the labrum, but found no similarities among these genera with respect to either the former's mandibles or the undulating profile surrounding its fontanelle. The only worker morphology noted for F. planifrons by Emerson (1960) was a pair of worn mandibles. Based largely on the enteric valve armature, we herein redescribe F. planifrons and assign this genus to the subfamily Termitinae.
- Mitochondrial phylogenetics position a new Afrotropical termite species into its own subfamily, the Engelitermitinae (Blattodea: Termitidae)
Abstract
While new species of termites are described every year, the description of species distant from every known termite species is rare. In this paper, we describe one such species, Engelitermes zambo sp.n., an African Termitidae belonging to an entirely new lineage of termites for which we create a new subfamily, Engelitermitinae subfam.n. The subfamily status of Engelitermitinae was supported by termite phylogenetic trees, including sequences from the four existing samples of E. zambo sp.n., which, albeit with low bootstrap supports, placed Engelitermes gen.n. on a long branch sister to Forficulitermes, the two of which formed the sister group of a clade comprising Cubitermitinae, Nasutitermitinae, Syntermitinae and all other Termitinae. The sister relationship between Engelitermes gen.n. and Forficulitermes is further supported by the similar gut structure of their workers. In contrast, the soldiers of Engelitermes gen.n. resemble those of Cephalotermes. Our phylogenetic analyses, including all clades of Termitinae, call for a global taxonomic revision of the Termitinae subfamily names. Finally, our study highlights that new unique termite lineages are still awaiting to be described.
Papers on this species, synonyms included → OpenAlex Google Scholar CNKI
Abstracts come from open metadata; copyright remains with the original authors/publishers. For reference only — please check the original.
Cite this species
Citation strings are generated from the fields of this page; please keep the DOI and the version number when citing.
GB/T 7714
班奈特格林. Extant Isoptera (termites): a checklist of Latin and Chinese names: Forficulitermes planifrons 扁额剪白蚁[EB/OL]. Version 2026.10.30. https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/forficulitermes-planifrons/. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23646836.
BibTeX
@misc{isoptera_forficulitermes_planifrons_2026,
author = {班奈特格林},
title = {Forficulitermes planifrons: a checklist of extant Isoptera (termites)},
year = {2026},
version = {2026.10.30},
howpublished = {https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/forficulitermes-planifrons/},
note = {TERMITIDAE; version 2026.10.30; DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23646836},
doi = {10.5281/zenodo.23646836}
}
RIS
TY - ELEC TI - Forficulitermes planifrons: a checklist of extant Isoptera (termites) AU - 班奈特格林 PY - 2026 UR - https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/forficulitermes-planifrons/ DO - 10.5281/zenodo.23646836 ER -