Glossotermes oculatus 眼显舌白蚁
- Type locality
- Guyana: East Berbice-Corentyne: Acarai Mountains, Itabu Creek [ 1.7N 57.9167W ]
- Distribution
- French Guiana, Guyana
List： English (genus page) · 中文 · Español
Summary
Glossotermes oculatus is a species and the type species of the genus Glossotermes, in the family SERRITERMITIDAE. The species was described by Emerson in 1950; the type locality is Guyana: East Berbice-Corentyne: Acarai Mountains, Itabu Creek [ 1.7N 57.9167W ]. Distribution: French Guiana, Guyana.
Etymology
Genus name Glossotermes: From Greek glōssa (tongue) + Latin termes.
Specific epithet oculatus: From ocul + atus
Taxonomic position
- Family: SERRITERMITIDAE — 2 genera, 3 species
- Genus: Glossotermes — 2 species
Distribution
- Distribution records: French Guiana, Guyana
The record above follows the wording of the original data; no geocoding or standardized place names have been applied.
Morphology
A species-level description from the original literature has not yet been compiled for this page. Original description: Emerson, 1950. See the genus page for the genus-level description; this page will be updated after the original text is checked.
Distribution map
Aggregated from GBIF occurrence records on a 1° grid; only extant taxa of this checklist are used, so fossil records are excluded. Dot size and shade show the number of records inside a cell.
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.
- Structure and function of defensive glands in soldiers of Glossotermes oculatus (Isoptera: Serritermitidae)
Abstract
The soldier caste represents the most conspicuous realization of termite eusociality, characterized by an extreme anatomical, behavioural, and physiological specialization. Numerous strategies have evolved in soldiers, including extreme adaptations such as self-sacrifice by autothysis. In the present study, we investigated the structure and function of defensive glands in Glossotermes oculatus soldiers aiming to understand their use in combat. Three glands are involved in defence: labral, frontal, and labial glands. Mandibles are used to bite the enemy, whereas the secretions of labral and labial glands are discharged into the wound. A striking characteristic of G. oculatus is the lack of the frontal pore; the secretion of the frontal gland is discharged by a rupture of the body wall. We hypothesized that this self-sacrifice is an efficient way of blocking a gallery under attack. A similar development of the frontal gland occurs in Serritermes serrifer, which supports the close relationship between the two genera inferred from morphological and genetic analyses.
- Nonadecadienone, a New Termite Trail-Following Pheromone Identified in Glossotermes oculatus (Serritermitidae)
Abstract
Within the multitude of chemical signals used by termites, the trail marking by means of pheromones is ubiquitous. Chemistry and biology of the trail-following communication have been described in more than 60 species from all families except for the Neotropical Serritermitidae. The chemical ecology of Serritermitidae is of special interest not only as a missing piece of knowledge on the diversity and evolution of isopteran pheromones but also because it may contribute to the debate on the phylogenetic position of this family, which is still unresolved. Therefore, we aimed in this study to identify the trail-following pheromone of the serritermitid Glossotermes oculatus. Based on a combined approach of analytical chemistry, electrophysiology, and behavioral bioassays, we propose (10Z,13Z)-nonadeca-10,13-dien-2-one to be the trail-following pheromone of G. oculatus, secreted by the sternal gland of pseudergates. Thus, we report on a new termite trail-following pheromone of an unexpected chemical structure, a ketone with 19 carbons, contrasting with unsaturated alcohols containing 12 carbons as trail-following pheromones in other advanced termite families. In addition to this unique trail-following pheromone, we also describe the sternal gland in pseudergates as an organ of unusual shape, size, and structure when compared with other isopteran species. These results underline the peculiarity of the family Serritermitidae and prompt our interest in the chemistry of pheromones in the other genus of the family, Serritermes.
- Identification of a new termite trail-following pheromone, nonadecadienone, in Glossotermes oculatus (Serritermitidae)
Abstract
Detail záznamu - Identification of a new termite trail-following pheromone, nonadecadienone, in Glossotermes oculatus (Serritermitidae) - Detailní zobrazení záznamu - Knihovna Akademie věd České republiky
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.
Literature notes
Edited notes based on the original literature, not transcriptions. The source markers in each paragraph point to archived records in .sources; full citations are listed below.
Gut flagellate assemblage
According to the abstract of Radek et al. (2017), the gut of Glossotermes oculatus harbours at least three flagellate morphotypes: a large Pseudotrichonympha-like form, a medium-sized Leptospironympha-like form with a spirally coiled flagellar band, and a small Hexamastix-like form, with no oxymonadids detected; the assemblage closely resembles that of Serritermes serrifer in the same family, and lacks all the characteristic groups of the closely related Rhinotermitidae.
References
Other species in Glossotermes (1 species)
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: Glossotermes oculatus 眼显舌白蚁[EB/OL]. Version 2026.10.30. https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/glossotermes-oculatus/. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23646836.
BibTeX
@misc{isoptera_glossotermes_oculatus_2026,
author = {班奈特格林},
title = {Glossotermes oculatus: a checklist of extant Isoptera (termites)},
year = {2026},
version = {2026.10.30},
howpublished = {https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/glossotermes-oculatus/},
note = {SERRITERMITIDAE; version 2026.10.30; DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23646836},
doi = {10.5281/zenodo.23646836}
}
RIS
TY - ELEC TI - Glossotermes oculatus: a checklist of extant Isoptera (termites) AU - 班奈特格林 PY - 2026 UR - https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/glossotermes-oculatus/ DO - 10.5281/zenodo.23646836 ER -