Tumulitermes comatus 长毛冢白蚁
- Type locality
- Australia: Queensland: Magnetic Island
- Distribution
- Australia
List： English (genus page) · 中文 · Español
Summary
Tumulitermes comatus is a species of the genus Tumulitermes, in the family TERMITIDAE (subfamily Nasutitermitinae). The species was described by Hill in 1942; the type locality is Australia: Queensland: Magnetic Island. Distribution: Australia.
Etymology
Genus name Tumulitermes: From Latin tumulus (mound) + termes.
Specific epithet comatus: Latin comatus (long-haired)
Taxonomic position
- Family: TERMITIDAE — 280 genera, 2144 species
- Subfamily: Nasutitermitinae — 81 genera, 606 species
- Genus: Tumulitermes — 17 species
- Type species of the genus: Tumulitermes tumuli
Distribution
- Distribution records: Australia
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: Hill, 1942. See the genus page for the genus-level description; this page will be updated after the original text is checked.
Photos 13 photos
Freely licensed photos, click to enlarge. Hotlinked from iNaturalist / Wikimedia Commons; the rights stay with the photographers — author, licence and source page are shown under each photo. Only the first 6 are shown here; the rest are under “All photos” at the end of the page.
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.
- SOLDIER‐REPRODUCTIVE INTERCASTES IN A SPECIES OF TUMULITERMES (ISOPTERA: TERMITIDAE)
Abstract
i Two aberrant specimens in a collection of a species of Tumulitermes are described. These specimens are basically soldier like in appearance, but show a number of reproductive caste characters in such structures as the antennae, head capsule and mandibles, and in the presence of wing rudiments. They are evidently soldier‐reproductive intercastes, which are quite uncommon in the higher termites.
- Distribution of Metals in the Termite Tumulitermes tumuli (Froggatt): Two Types of Malpighian Tubule Concretion Host Zn and Ca Mutually Exclusively
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine specific distribution of metals in the termite Tumulitermes tumuli (Froggatt) and identify specific organs within the termite that host elevated metals and therefore play an important role in the regulation and transfer of these back into the environment. Like other insects, termites bio-accumulate essential metals to reinforce cuticular structures and utilize storage detoxification for other metals including Ca, P, Mg and K. Previously, Mn and Zn have been found concentrated in mandible tips and are associated with increased hardness whereas Ca, P, Mg and K are accumulated in Malpighian tubules. Using high resolution Particle Induced X-Ray Emission (PIXE) mapping of whole termites and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) spot analysis, localised accumulations of metals in the termite T. tumuli were identified. Tumulitermes tumuli was found to have proportionally high Mn concentrations in mandible tips. Malpighian tubules had significant enrichment of Zn (1.6%), Mg (4.9%), P (6.8%), Ca (2.7%) and K (2.4%). Synchrotron scanning X-ray Fluorescence Microprobe (XFM) mapping demonstrated two different concretion types defined by the mutually exclusive presence of Ca and Zn. In-situ SEM EDX realisation of these concretions is problematic due to the excitation volume caused by operating conditions required to detect minor amounts of Zn in the presence of significant amounts of Na. For this reason, previous researchers have not demonstrated this surprising finding.
- Molecular taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships among Australian Nasutitermes and Tumulitermes genera (Isoptera, Nasutitermitinae) inferred from mitochondrial COII and 16S sequences
Abstract
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 Tumulitermes (16 species)
- Tumulitermes apiocephalus
- Tumulitermes curtus
- Tumulitermes dalbiensis
- Tumulitermes hastilis
- Tumulitermes kershawi
- Tumulitermes marcidus
- Tumulitermes mareebensis
- Tumulitermes nichollsi
- Tumulitermes pastinator
- Tumulitermes peracutus
- Tumulitermes petilus
- Tumulitermes pulleinei
- Tumulitermes recalvus
- Tumulitermes subaquilus
- Tumulitermes tumuli
- Tumulitermes westraliensis
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: Tumulitermes comatus 长毛冢白蚁[EB/OL]. Version 2026.10.30. https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/tumulitermes-comatus/. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23646836.
BibTeX
@misc{isoptera_tumulitermes_comatus_2026,
author = {班奈特格林},
title = {Tumulitermes comatus: a checklist of extant Isoptera (termites)},
year = {2026},
version = {2026.10.30},
howpublished = {https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/tumulitermes-comatus/},
note = {TERMITIDAE; version 2026.10.30; DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23646836},
doi = {10.5281/zenodo.23646836}
}
RIS
TY - ELEC TI - Tumulitermes comatus: a checklist of extant Isoptera (termites) AU - 班奈特格林 PY - 2026 UR - https://termite-extant-isoptera.org/en/species/tumulitermes-comatus/ DO - 10.5281/zenodo.23646836 ER -