Odontotermes angustignathus 细颚土白蚁
- Type locality
- China: Yunnan Province: Cheli
- Distribution
- Southeast Asia, Vietnam, China
List: English (genus page) · 中文 · Español
Summary
Odontotermes angustignathus is a species of the genus Odontotermes, in the family TERMITIDAE (subfamily Macrotermitinae). The species was described by Tsai & Chen in 1963; the type locality is China: Yunnan Province: Cheli. Distribution: Southeast Asia, Vietnam, China.
Etymology
Genus name Odontotermes: From Greek odous (tooth) + Latin termes.
Specific epithet angustignathus: From angusti + gnathus
Taxonomic position
- Family: TERMITIDAE — 280 genera, 2144 species
- Subfamily: Macrotermitinae — 12 genera, 373 species
- Genus: Odontotermes — 198 species
- Type species of the genus: Odontotermes vulgaris
Distribution
- Distribution records: Southeast Asia, Vietnam, China
The record above follows the wording of the original data; no geocoding or standardized place names have been applied.
Recorded in Fauna Sinica
The morphological and biological accounts below are taken from Fauna Sinica and related literature; only structure and punctuation have been standardized here.
Morphology
Soldier
Head dark yellow, thorax and abdomen pale yellow or slightly mixed with pink; setae on the head very few, those on the thorax, abdomen and legs more numerous. Anterior part of the head slightly narrowed, the posterior margin broadly rounded, the widest point in the posterior part of the head, the lateral margins slightly arched. Fontanelle situated at about one-fifth of the anterior part of the head, very indistinct. Posterior end of the postmentum broader than the anterior end, and in lateral view the postmentum does not bulge strongly from the ventral surface of the head. Mandibles sickle-shaped, the left marginal tooth behind the midpoint, its apex directed obliquely forwards, the portion anterior to the tooth markedly narrowed; the right mandibular tooth very indistinct and situated slightly further back. Apex of the labrum reaching the midpoint of the mandibles. Antennae with 17 segments, segment 3 shorter than segment 2, the terminal segment about equal in length to segment 2 but tapering at the tip, segment 4 equal in length to segments 2 and 3. Anterior margin of the pronotum with a distinct median concavity. Length of head to the apex of the labrum 2.18–2.38 mm, width of head 1.72–1.86 mm, width of pronotum 0.97–1.02 mm.
Alate
Worker
Head deep yellow, abdomen pale yellow. Head shape intermediate between round and square, the vertex flat; the fontanelle in the middle of the vertex is a conspicuous white circular pit; the postclypeus is raised upwards, with a distinct median longitudinal suture whose length is less than half its width; antennae with 18 segments, segments 2 and 3 of similar length, segment 4 shorter, some individuals having only 17 segments.
Nymph
Abstract (from the source)
Soldier: head dark yellow, the capsule narrow and elongate with nearly parallel sides; fontanelle a conspicuous white pit at the vertex. Labrum narrow, its tip rounded. Mandibles slender and sabre-like, the left with a distinct tooth before mid-length, the right with a smaller one. Antennae seventeen to eighteen segmented. Pronotum with a shallow anterior incision and a strongly concave posterior margin. Worker: head dark yellow with a pale abdomen; fontanelle conspicuous; postclypeus raised with a clear median suture; antennae seventeen to eighteen segmented. Recorded from southern China in dead wood.
Biology
Distribution and locality
Yunnan: Menghan, Menghai and Yunjinghong (500 m a.s.l.); Hainan.
Taxonomic notes
Source: Huang Fusheng et al. (2000), Fauna Sinica, Insecta vol. 17, Isoptera, Science Press. (entry no. 257 in the original work) Entries are cited by their number in the original work.
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.
- BIONOMICS OF ODONTOTERMES HAINANENSIS (LIGHT)
Abstract
Odontotermes hainanensis (Light) is an important insect pest damaging the dikes of reservoirs in South China. The present paper deals with the morphologies of the castes, behaviour during cultivation of the primary colonies in the laboratory and the activities of dispersal flight, foraging and nest building in the field.
- Termites of the Genus Odontotermes are Optionally Keratophagous
Abstract
In this study we tested experimentally whether the consumption of mammalian hooves by termites of the genus Odontotermes is a mere incidental, previously overlooked event, or whether higher termites frequently exploit hooves of ungulates as a supplementary food source. The experiment was conducted in the open woodland savanna region of Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. In total, 88 hooves of wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) and zebra (Equus burchelli) – of two age classes – were offered to the termites in the field. After five days, 18.3% of old and 15.0% of fresh wildebeest hooves and 16.7% of old zebra hooves were utilized by termites as a food source. Accordingly, we report here for the first time a systematic, frequent necrophorous foraging behavior of termites in general, which also adds termites to the very short list of potential decomposers of mammalian hooves. Termites of the genus Odontotermes seem not to show a preference for a specific age class of the provided wildebeest hooves. Our results suggest that ungulate hooves represent a spatially and temporarily highly variable, potentially macro- and micronutrient-rich, supplementary food source for higher termites in this savanna ecosystem. Termites of the genus Odontotermes might accordingly be considered as being not only decomposers, but also optional necrophores, i.e. being keratophagous. Members of this genus might play an important role in the decomposition of mammalian hooves in African savannas.
- Xylaria species associated with nests of Odontotermes formosanus in Taiwan
Abstract
Nine species of Xylaria were collected in Taiwan from nests of Odontotermes formosanus, the only known macrotermitine termite in Taiwan. These include six newly described species, X. acuminatilongissima, X. atrodivaricata, X. brunneovinosa, X. griseosepiacea, X. intraflava and X. ochraceostroma, and three previously known species, X. cirrata, X. escharoidea and X. nigripes. We obtained cultures and ITS sequences from the nine species found in Taiwan and describe anamorphs for eight of them. Before the current study teleomorphanamorph connections in the Xylaria species associated with termite nests have been established unequivocally in X. escharoidea only. Xylaria angulosa, X. fimbriata, X. kedahae, X. micrura, X. radicans, X. reinkingii and X. tolosa also are considered and annotated because they were reported to grow on ground and likely are associated with termite nests. Epitypifications are made for X. cirrata, X. escharoidea and X. nigripes. Xylaria sanchezii is considered a nomen dubium. Photographs are presented for most of the aforementioned species. A dichotomous key to 25 Xylaria species growing on termite nests or ground also is given.
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.
Other species in Odontotermes (197 species)
- Odontotermes acutidens
- Odontotermes adampurensis
- Odontotermes agilis
- Odontotermes akengeensis
- Odontotermes amanicus
- Odontotermes amaniensis
- Odontotermes anamallensis
- Odontotermes anceps
- Odontotermes angustatus
- Odontotermes angustipennis
- Odontotermes annulicornis
- Odontotermes apollo
- Odontotermes aquaticus
- Odontotermes assmuthi
- Odontotermes aurora
- Odontotermes badius
- Odontotermes bellahunisensis
- Odontotermes bequaerti
- Odontotermes bhagwatii
- Odontotermes billitoni
- Odontotermes boetonensis
- Odontotermes bogoriensis
- Odontotermes bomaensis
- Odontotermes boranicus
- Odontotermes bottegoanus
- Odontotermes boveni
- Odontotermes brunneus
- Odontotermes buchholzi
- Odontotermes butteli
- Odontotermes caffrariae
- Odontotermes capensis
- Odontotermes celebensis
- Odontotermes ceylonicus
- Odontotermes chicapanensis
- Odontotermes classicus
- Odontotermes conignathus
- Odontotermes culturarum
- Odontotermes denticulatus
- Odontotermes diana
- Odontotermes dimorphus
197 species in this genus. See all species on the genus page →
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: Odontotermes angustignathus 细颚土白蚁[EB/OL]. Version 2026.10.30. https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/odontotermes-angustignathus/. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23646836.
BibTeX
@misc{isoptera_odontotermes_angustignathus_2026,
author = {班奈特格林},
title = {Odontotermes angustignathus: a checklist of extant Isoptera (termites)},
year = {2026},
version = {2026.10.30},
howpublished = {https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/odontotermes-angustignathus/},
note = {TERMITIDAE; version 2026.10.30; DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23646836},
doi = {10.5281/zenodo.23646836}
}
RIS
TY - ELEC TI - Odontotermes angustignathus: a checklist of extant Isoptera (termites) AU - 班奈特格林 PY - 2026 UR - https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/odontotermes-angustignathus/ DO - 10.5281/zenodo.23646836 ER -