Odontotermes dimorphus 双工土白蚁
- Type locality
- China: Guangxi Province: Huashuichong Forest: Hexian
- Distribution
- Guangxi (Hexian Huashuichong Nature Reserve), China
List: English (genus page) · 中文 · Español
Summary
Odontotermes dimorphus is a species of the genus Odontotermes, in the family TERMITIDAE (subfamily Macrotermitinae). The species was described by Li & Xiao in 1989; the type locality is China: Guangxi Province: Huashuichong Forest: Hexian. Distribution: Guangxi (Hexian Huashuichong Nature Reserve), China.
Etymology
Genus name Odontotermes: From Greek odous (tooth) + Latin termes.
Specific epithet dimorphus: Greek di- (two) + morphē (form), dimorphic
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: Guangxi (Hexian Huashuichong Nature Reserve), 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
Body medium-sized. Head yellow or reddish yellow, the postmentum darker, mostly brownish yellow or brown; thorax and abdomen pale yellow. Pilosity of the head sparse; about ten long bristles around the margin of the labrum; the pronotum bears sparse long and short setae. Head elongate-oval, narrower in front of the antennal sockets, the lateral margins of the middle and posterior portions broader and almost parallel, the posterior margin slightly flat. Mandibles robust, the apices incurved; the left marginal tooth lying more than one-third from the anterior end, its apex mostly directed inwards and in a few individuals slightly forwards, the angle of the tooth about 70 degrees; the right mandible with an indistinct small tooth at the corresponding position. Labrum lingulate, almost as long as wide. Antennae with 16 segments, segment 4 the shortest. Postmentum rectangular, the sides parallel, the anterior margin narrower. Both the anterior and the posterior margin of the pronotum with a distinct median notch.
Alate
Worker
The worker is distinctly dimorphic, with a large and a small form. In the large form the head width is 1.36–1.40 mm, the antennae have 17 segments, and segment 3 or segment 5 is short and small; in the small form the head width is 0.94–0.98 mm, the antennae have 16 segments, and segment 3 or segment 4 is the shortest.
Nymph
Abstract (from the source)
Soldiers are of medium size with a yellow or reddish yellow head, a darker brownish postmentum and a pale yellow body. Pilosity is sparse, with about ten long setae around the labrum. The head is elongate-oval, narrower before the antennal sockets and nearly parallel behind, with a slightly flattened rear margin. The mandibles are stout and incurved at the tip; the left tooth lies beyond the anterior third and its tip points mostly inward. Antennae have 16 segments, the fourth shortest. Workers occur in two sizes.
Biology
Distribution and locality
Huashuichong Nature Reserve, Hexian, Guangxi.
Taxonomic notes
Source: Huang Fusheng et al. (2000), Fauna Sinica, Insecta vol. 17, Isoptera, Science Press. (entry no. 261 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 angustignathus
- 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
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 dimorphus 双工土白蚁[EB/OL]. Version 2026.10.30. https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/odontotermes-dimorphus/. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23646836.
BibTeX
@misc{isoptera_odontotermes_dimorphus_2026,
author = {班奈特格林},
title = {Odontotermes dimorphus: a checklist of extant Isoptera (termites)},
year = {2026},
version = {2026.10.30},
howpublished = {https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/odontotermes-dimorphus/},
note = {TERMITIDAE; version 2026.10.30; DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23646836},
doi = {10.5281/zenodo.23646836}
}
RIS
TY - ELEC TI - Odontotermes dimorphus: a checklist of extant Isoptera (termites) AU - 班奈特格林 PY - 2026 UR - https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/odontotermes-dimorphus/ DO - 10.5281/zenodo.23646836 ER -