Odontotermes yaoi 姚氏土白蚁
- Type locality
- China: Fujian Province: Longxi County
- Distribution
- China (Fujian)
List: English (genus page) · 中文 · Español
Summary
Odontotermes yaoi is a species of the genus Odontotermes, in the family TERMITIDAE (subfamily Macrotermitinae). The species was described by Huang & Li in 1988; the type locality is China: Fujian Province: Longxi County. Distribution: China (Fujian).
Etymology
Genus name Odontotermes: From Greek odous (tooth) + Latin termes.
Specific epithet yaoi: Named after a Chinese scholar surnamed Yao (full name uncertain).
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: China (Fujian)
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
Soldier head yellow or deep yellow, slightly paler in the middle of the anterior part, the labrum yellow, the antennae yellowish brown with the terminal segments darker, the mandibles black at the apex and yellowish brown at the base, the thorax, legs and abdomen pale yellow, the pronotum slightly darker. Head oval and flat, the anterior end distinctly contracted and gradually forming an inclined surface, longer than wide, widest at the middle, the posterior margin arcuate, the fontanelle indistinct. Labrum lingulate, longer than wide, widest at the base, with several bristles arranged on each side. Mandibles slender and sabre-like, the apices slightly curved, slightly shorter than the head length; a large tooth on the inner margin of the left mandible at the anterior quarter and a small tooth near the base; the right mandible has an undeveloped small tooth on the inner margin near the apical quarter and another small tooth near the base. Antennae with 15 segments, segment 1 cylindrical and the longest, segment 2 slightly shorter, segment 3 square and the shortest, segments 4 to 11 gradually enlarging and clavate, the terminal segment the largest and oval. Pronotum saddle-shaped, narrower than the head width, the anterior margin projecting forwards in a leaf-like lobe with a median notch, the posterior margin contracted at the sides and slightly depressed at the middle.
Alate
Worker
Nymph
Abstract (from the source)
The soldier head is yellow, paler at the middle of the front, with a yellow labrum and yellowish brown antennae. The head is oval and flattened, narrowed in front to form a sloping face, widest at the middle. The labrum is tongue shaped, longer than wide. Mandibles are slender and sabre like; the left bears a large tooth at the anterior quarter. Antennae have fifteen segments, the first longest, the third shortest and square, the apical one largest.
Biology
In parts of Fujian it is a major pest of reservoirs.
Distribution and locality
Longxi, Fujian.
Taxonomic notes
Source: Huang Fusheng et al. (2000), Fauna Sinica, Insecta vol. 17, Isoptera, Science Press. (entry no. 279 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 yaoi 姚氏土白蚁[EB/OL]. Version 2026.10.30. https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/odontotermes-yaoi/. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23646836.
BibTeX
@misc{isoptera_odontotermes_yaoi_2026,
author = {班奈特格林},
title = {Odontotermes yaoi: a checklist of extant Isoptera (termites)},
year = {2026},
version = {2026.10.30},
howpublished = {https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/odontotermes-yaoi/},
note = {TERMITIDAE; version 2026.10.30; DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23646836},
doi = {10.5281/zenodo.23646836}
}
RIS
TY - ELEC TI - Odontotermes yaoi: a checklist of extant Isoptera (termites) AU - 班奈特格林 PY - 2026 UR - https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/odontotermes-yaoi/ DO - 10.5281/zenodo.23646836 ER -