Heterotermes

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Heterotermes
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Blattodea
Infraorder: Isoptera
Family: Rhinotermitidae
Genus: Heterotermes
Froggatt, 1896

Heterotermes is a genus of termites belonging to the family Rhinotermitidae.[1]

The genus has almost cosmopolitan distribution.[1]

General overview[edit]

Heterotermes is a termite genus from the Rhinotermitidae Family. One of their closest relatives is Reticulitermes. Like its relative, some Heterotermes have also been considered pests because they form large colonies. Heterotermes feed themselves by gathering cellulose food from dead tree logs, stumps, and branches to man-made wooden structures in buildings, books, paper, and other similar substances.

Heterotermes are also very adaptive, having a relatively fast growth rate in mature colonies when in good conditions. They are found in very dry areas and humid wooded areas, such as the West Indies and the Bahamas[2], but some species have been found in northwestern Mexico and southern Arizona and California[2]. An adaptation in Heterotermes is the relatively fast Neotenic formation within the colony. Unlike Reticulitermes, who form both Ergatoid neotenic and Nymphoid neotenic reproductives, Heterotermes are only observed to have the Nymphoid neotenic caste as a secondary reproductive.

Heterotermes are very similar in appearance to Reticulitermes, but the soldier caste in Heterotermes is smaller than the soldier in Reticulitermes. Additionally, unlike Reticulitermes soldiers who have a curve in their mandible which starts from the base of the mandible, Heterotermes soldiers have a mandible with a curved tip. The base area is also straighter than the Reticulitermes’.

Castes[edit]

  • Primary reproductive

The alates of many Heterotermes and Reticulitermes are very similar in morphology. However, many Heterotermes gynes are more lightly pigmented (color range is usually pale yellow-brown to orange-brown) than Reticulitermes. They are mainly around 7mm-11mm in length. A colony usually consists of a pair of primary reproductive, but is occasionally found having a few pairs.

Heterotermes alates with eggs. By Dulneth Wijewardana
  • Secondary reproductive

The only found type of secondary reproductive in Heterotermes is Nymphoid neotenic. They usually arise in case of colony isolation or the death of primary reproductives. They start to develop from around 3rd instar nymphs. Older nymphs of this caste are also found to molt back into a Nymphoid neotenic in case they are needed. A colony can have multiple Nymphoid neotenic pairs that get physogastric within the first few weeks to produce eggs. Similar to worker they lack visible eyes and are usually lightly pigmented giving a light orange-like tint.

Nymphoid neotenic females of heterotermes, By Dulneth Wijewardana
Nymphoid neotenic pairs among colony with eggs and workers, By Dulneth Wijewardana
  • Workers and Soldiers

Workers build up the majority of a colony alongside soldiers. Workers perform tasks such as food gathering, nest expanding, care for reproductive and brood, while soldiers perform the task of defending intruders. Soldiers will excrete a slightly grey-tinted sticky white liquid when disturbed, and are also found to bump their heads into nest walls to alert fellow colony members about arriving danger.

Workers and Soldiers found within a heterotermes colony, By Dulneth Wijewardana

Species[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Heterotermes Froggatt, 1896". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  2. ^ a b "West Indian Subterranean Termite". entnemdept.ufl.edu. Retrieved 2024-06-04.

[1]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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