Odontotermes hainanensis 海南土白蚁
- Type locality
- China: Hainan Island: Kachek
- Distribution
- South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Myanmar
List: English (genus page) · 中文 · Español
Summary
Odontotermes hainanensis is a species of the genus Odontotermes, in the family TERMITIDAE (subfamily Macrotermitinae). The species was described by Light in 1924; the type locality is China: Hainan Island: Kachek. Distribution: South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Myanmar.
Etymology
Genus name Odontotermes: From Greek odous (tooth) + Latin termes.
Specific epithet hainanensis: After Hainan (China)
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: South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Myanmar
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 deep yellow, the abdomen pale yellow or greyish white with a slight reddish tinge. Pilosity of the head sparse, that of the abdomen denser. Head oval, the lateral margins arcuate, the widest point mostly at the middle of the head. Postmentum markedly projecting towards the ventral surface, its surface curved, the posterior end broader than the anterior end. Mandibles rather slender, gently curved, only the anterior end slightly bent; the left marginal tooth at one-third of the anterior part, sharp, its apex directed obliquely forwards; the right mandible with a very small and inconspicuous granular tooth slightly behind the corresponding position. The lateral margins of the labrum are curved and bear long setae, the labral apex narrow. Antennae with 15–16 segments; segment 2 longer than segments 3 and 4; in individuals with 15 segments segment 3 is shorter than segment 4, whereas in those with 16 segments segment 3 is longer than segment 4; the segments enlarge progressively after the fifth. Both the anterior and the posterior margin of the pronotum have a median notch.
Alate
The tergites of the head, thorax and abdomen are dark brown, the ventral surface of the head and of the abdomen brownish yellow, the posterior half of the labrum pale orange and the anterior half orange-red. The ocelli are far from the compound eyes, the distance between them distinctly greater than the length of the ocellus itself. The wings are rather short.
Worker
Two forms, large and small. In the large form the head is deep yellow and the abdomen greyish white; the head is nearly square, the lateral margins slightly straight, the anterior end expanded and forming the widest part of the head; the fontanelle lies in the middle of the vertex and is a small circular pit; the postclypeus is raised and divided into right and left halves by a median longitudinal suture; antennae with 17 segments; the anterior part of the pronotum markedly upturned; body length 4.33–4.72 mm. In the small form the head is pale yellow and the abdomen greyish white; the lateral and posterior margins of the head form a continuous arc and are not square; antennae with 15–16 segments; body length 3.9–4 mm.
Nymph
Abstract (from the source)
Soldiers have a deep yellow head and a pale abdomen. The head is oval, widest near its middle, with a postmentum that bulges strongly below and widens behind; the left mandible carries a sharp tooth at the anterior third, the right a minute granular tooth set slightly farther back. Antennae have 15 or 16 segments, and the pronotum is notched at both margins. Alates are blackish brown above, have short wings, and their ocelli stand well away from the eyes.
Biology
It lives in the soil; the nest is entirely subterranean and consists of many fungus gardens and fungus-garden chambers. The host plants are the rubber tree, lychee and tung tree.
Distribution and locality
Fujian; Longzhou and Pingyangjiang in Pubei, Guangxi; Hekou (90 m a.s.l.), Yunjinghong (500 m a.s.l.), Menghai in Banna, Changpotou in Jinping (1,100 m a.s.l.), Mojiang (1,400 m a.s.l.), Pu'er (1,350 m a.s.l.), Simao, Kaiyuan, Yanshan, Lianghe and Yingjiang, Yunnan; Hepu, Haikang and Xuwen, Guangdong; Nada, Lehui, Qiongdong and Dongfang, Hainan.
Taxonomic notes
Source: Huang Fusheng et al. (2000), Fauna Sinica, Insecta vol. 17, Isoptera, Science Press. (entry no. 269 in the original work) Entries are cited by their number in the original work.
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.
- 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 hainanensis 海南土白蚁[EB/OL]. Version 2026.10.30. https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/odontotermes-hainanensis/. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23646836.
BibTeX
@misc{isoptera_odontotermes_hainanensis_2026,
author = {班奈特格林},
title = {Odontotermes hainanensis: a checklist of extant Isoptera (termites)},
year = {2026},
version = {2026.10.30},
howpublished = {https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/odontotermes-hainanensis/},
note = {TERMITIDAE; version 2026.10.30; DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23646836},
doi = {10.5281/zenodo.23646836}
}
RIS
TY - ELEC TI - Odontotermes hainanensis: a checklist of extant Isoptera (termites) AU - 班奈特格林 PY - 2026 UR - https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/odontotermes-hainanensis/ DO - 10.5281/zenodo.23646836 ER -