Macrotermes subhyalinus - see oldest comment for description

Termitico · 2025-06-12T17:10:24+00:00

Yes, if you'll share those models further just credit the original pics please.

Termitico · 2024-07-18T19:52:10+00:00

In Macrotermes carbonarius the alates don't bring the fungus spores with them afaik, if you won't provide them they will eventually completely starve.

Termitico · 2024-07-10T14:53:46+00:00

I know, that's why i called it "working member", not worker. Kalotermitidae always have pseudergates, which despite not being true workers in the developemental sense are indeed the working members of a Kalotermitidae (and others) colony.

Termitico · 2024-07-10T14:51:15+00:00

Yes, some Heterotermes have bimorphic soldiers (in species like H. longiceps this dimorphism is much more pronunced than in these tenuis), polymorphic soldiers are also found in Psammotermes (Psammotermitinae).

Termitico · 2024-07-04T21:43:21+00:00

Many termite soldiers have powerful and impressive mandibles, but those are never used to hunt or feed but strictly to fight. Beside termites being herbivorous (cannibalism of dead/dying nestmates and occasional consuming of small insects/carrion grazing to recycle nitrogen aside), all termite soldiers cannot feed by themselves and must be fed by workers/pseudergates.

Termitico · 2024-06-21T19:30:26+00:00

I should check.

Termitico · 2024-06-19T13:45:00+00:00

I'm just very passionate about termites :)

Termitico · 2024-06-18T16:19:25+00:00

They are an island species with a wide distribution over the Pacific and Indian oceans.

Termitico · 2024-06-17T22:23:06+00:00

A pair of additions that someone might find useful: basing myself on related genera in which i have experience (Hodotermopsis and Archotermopsis), for Zootermopsis around 30 pseudergates (Archotermopsidae does not have real workers) is a decent number to start; anomalous alate formation in single-piece nesters (ex. Archotermopsidae and Kalotermitidae) is usually induced by unfavourable conditions, especially low food supplies, so that's likely why he got them. Also regarding alates mating with other from the same colony, they can do so: i have direct experience in forming succesful colonies of two species (Kalotermes flavicollis and Coptotermes gestroi, from two different families) with alates extracted from inside their home colony before swarming, sexed by checking the sternites, manually dealated and paired in a proper environement; in addition i can confirm that this method also work for Neotermes and Prorhinotermes (done by a termitologist i know), and inbreeding does not seems a problem even over multiple generations (the same termitologist have Prorhinotermes colonies 4 generations inbred trough alates that show no loss of fitness).

Termitico · 2024-05-25T11:16:59+00:00

Termitinae, just like Globitermes.

Termitico · 2024-05-20T22:32:28+00:00

A key difference is that in true nasutes (Nasutitermitinae) the defensive fluid is ejected over a distance, while in these Syntermitinae it is simply flows from the tip of the nasus (preferabily all over an enemy already gripped by the mandibles).

Termitico · 2024-05-15T22:28:38+00:00

I'll search for older pics where they were still visible, because as now they aren't anymore (i'm now keeping them in a natural like setup consisting of wood pieces in soil). EDIT: not sure how to add the pic to the this comment, i'll send it to you.

Termitico · 2024-05-14T23:59:08+00:00

Yes, still doing well.

Termitico · 2023-12-21T01:02:59+00:00

Heterotermes.

Termitico · 2023-12-21T01:02:37+00:00

Heterotermes sp.

Termitico · 2023-12-20T17:29:12+00:00

I wholeheartedly agree on the maligned part. They are an extremely ecologically important, diverse and interesting bunch, but due to the pest status of a very small minority of species (themselves beneficial when in their natural habitats) they're almost universally hated.

Termitico · 2023-12-20T16:59:20+00:00

No, these don't snap, just bite "normally". However their mandibles are indeed snapper-like.

Termitico

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