Phoxotermes cerberus 三头犬锐白蚁
- Type locality
- Cameroon: Sanaga-Maritime: Edea-Marienberg Forest Reserve: Lac Tissongo
- Distribution
- Central Africa, Cameroon, Congo
List： English (genus page) · 中文 · Español
Summary
Phoxotermes cerberus is the only extant species of the genus Phoxotermes, in the family TERMITIDAE (subfamily Apicotermitinae). The species was described by Collins in 1977; the type locality is Cameroon: Sanaga-Maritime: Edea-Marienberg Forest Reserve: Lac Tissongo. Distribution: Central Africa, Cameroon, Congo.
Etymology
Genus name Phoxotermes: Etymology uncertain; -termes from Latin termes.
Specific epithet cerberus: Greek Kerberos (Cerberus)
Taxonomic position
- Family: TERMITIDAE — 280 genera, 2144 species
- Subfamily: Apicotermitinae — 68 genera, 241 species
- Genus: Phoxotermes — monotypic, 1 species
Distribution
- Distribution records: Central Africa, Cameroon, Congo
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: Collins, 1977. See the genus page for the genus-level description; this page will be updated after the original text is checked.
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.
- Two new termites (Isoptera) from the United Republic of Cameroon
Abstract
Two new termites (Isoptera) from the Apicotermes branch of the Apicotermitinae (Termitidae) are described. One, Phoxotermes cerberus, is the type‐species of a new genus and the other is a species of Machadotermes Weidner, namely M.rigidus. The affinities and habits of the two species are discussed and a key to the three known species of Machadotermes given.
- Phylogeny, Morphology, and Ultrastructure of Sessile, Peritrich Ciliates in Termite Guts, Termitophrya Africana and Doliophrys Denislynnii Gen. Nov., Sp. Nov
Abstract
- Phylogeny, morphology, and ultrastructure of sessilid peritrich ciliates in termite guts, Termitophrya africana and Doliophrys denislynni gen. nov., sp. nov.
Abstract
Sessilids (Oligohymenophorea, Peritrichia, Sessilida) reportedly colonize the gut of certain “higher termites” (family Termitidae), but only a single species, Termitophrya africana from Jugositermes tuberculatus (subfamily Apicotermitinae), has been described based on a drawing. Similar ciliates were observed in other Apicotermitinae but remained unspecified. Our SSU rDNA-based survey of peritrich ciliates in a broad range of Termitidae recovered distinct phylotypes from several Apicotermitinae ( Astalotermes, Jugositermes, and Phoxotermes ), albeit only from samples collected in Cameroon and not from all species of these genera. They form a monophyletic group in the family Epistylididae (Sessilida), with Orborhabdostyla bromelicola as the closest relative. Light, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy of the sessilid ciliates in J. tuberculatus revealed two morphotypes, which were assigned to their corresponding phylotypes by sequence analysis of capillary-picked single cells. One morphotype, which is highly contractile and broadens continuously towards the posterior end, matches the description of Termitophrya africana. The cells are attached by a posterior scopula with short cilia and are often covered with rod-shaped ectobionts. The other morphotype has a stockier, barrel-shaped body and a short, clearly demarcated anterior end and is always free of ectobionts. We designate it as Doliophrys denislynni gen. Nov., sp. nov. • The sessile gut ciliates in higher termites belong to the family Epistylididae (Peritrichia). • They exclusively occur in Apicotermitinae. • One phylotype was linked to the previously described Termitophrya africana. • The second phylotype represents a new species, Doliophrys dennislynni. • Morphology and ultrastructure of both species are studied in detail.
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.
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: Phoxotermes cerberus 三头犬锐白蚁[EB/OL]. Version 2026.10.30. https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/phoxotermes-cerberus/. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23646836.
BibTeX
@misc{isoptera_phoxotermes_cerberus_2026,
author = {班奈特格林},
title = {Phoxotermes cerberus: a checklist of extant Isoptera (termites)},
year = {2026},
version = {2026.10.30},
howpublished = {https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/phoxotermes-cerberus/},
note = {TERMITIDAE; version 2026.10.30; DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23646836},
doi = {10.5281/zenodo.23646836}
}
RIS
TY - ELEC TI - Phoxotermes cerberus: a checklist of extant Isoptera (termites) AU - 班奈特格林 PY - 2026 UR - https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/phoxotermes-cerberus/ DO - 10.5281/zenodo.23646836 ER -