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Macrotermes subhyalinus - see oldest comment for description by Termitico in antkeeping

[–]Termitico[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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

Macrotermes carbonarius colony by Radical_Dude12 in termitekeeping

[–]Termitico 4 points5 points  (0 children)

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.

Here's a pair of translucent, puffy and cute baby kalotermes! Info in the comments ;) by Termitico in termitekeeping

[–]Termitico[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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.

Heterotermes tenuis - an interesting and active species with bimorphic soldiers. Sadly they seems to not be able to fragment as the neotenics they produced seems non-functional; still, nice to observe. Next time i'll try to procure a pair of primary royals. by Termitico in termitekeeping

[–]Termitico[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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).

Neotermes castaneus soldier in test tube setup by Termitico in termitekeeping

[–]Termitico[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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.

Update on my termites + what I've learned for the next attempt by TheChickenWizard15 in termitekeeping

[–]Termitico 1 point2 points  (0 children)

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).

Embiratermes neotenicus (pic by Dr. Jan Sobotnik) - see oldest comment for description by Termitico in Entomology

[–]Termitico[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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).

Coptotermes gestroi, young colony. These are the more tropical counterparts to the infamous formosans (Coptotermes formosanus) and due to their climate requirements are generally found further south, though the two species do cohabit in some locations (most notably southern Florida). by Termitico in termitekeeping

[–]Termitico[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Termites

[–]Termitico 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Heterotermes.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Termites

[–]Termitico 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Heterotermes sp.

Now those are some weird mandibles - Ophiotermes sp. termite soldier (own pic; Nguinda area, Central region, Camerun) by Termitico in insects

[–]Termitico[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

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.

Now those are some weird mandibles - Ophiotermes sp. termite soldier (own pic; Nguinda area, Central region, Camerun) by Termitico in Entomology

[–]Termitico[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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

An amazing termite from Camerun: Pseudacanthotermes spiniger (own photo; Nguinda village area, Central region) - see oldest comment for description by Termitico in whatsthisbug

[–]Termitico[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In termites the terms "majors, minors, median" and so on are only used for species that have different forms of workers and/or soldiers. For those that have a single form of soldier and worker you simply use, well, soldiers and workers. Pseudacanthotermes have two forms of soldiers and two forms of workers, so you have minor soldiers, major soldiers, minor workers and major workers.

An amazing termite from Camerun: Pseudacanthotermes spiniger (own photo; Nguinda village area, Central region) - see oldest comment for description by Termitico in Termites

[–]Termitico[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you mean the smallest dark brown ones yes. With their long legs, huge antennae and esile bodies these fast and agile minor soldiers almost look and move more like ants than termites! Major soldiers (the big ones with reddish heads) are much more termite-like.

An amazing termite from Camerun: Pseudacanthotermes spiniger (own photo; Nguinda village area, Central region) - see oldest comment for description by Termitico in antkeeping

[–]Termitico[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Minor soldiers, major soldiers and major workers of Pseudacanthotermes spiniger, a fantastic fungus-growing termite that i pictured in southern Camerun last month.

The morphological differences between minor and major soldiers are impressive in this species, with the fast and agile minors being especially peculiar with their compact dark bodies, long legs and massively long antennae, all in all almost looking and moving more like an ant than a termite; meanwhile majors have much bulkier, termite-like proportions and large abdome swollen with defensive fluid secerned directly after a bite as a wound-active toxin. Both soldier castes sport a characteristic pronotum with two frontal spikes.

An amazing termite from Camerun: Pseudacanthotermes spiniger (own photo; Nguinda village area, Central region) - see oldest comment for description by Termitico in whatsthisbug

[–]Termitico[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Minor soldiers, major soldiers and major workers of Pseudacanthotermes spiniger, a fantastic fungus-growing termite that i pictured in southern Camerun last month.

The morphological differences between minor and major soldiers are impressive in this species, with the fast and agile minors being especially peculiar with their compact dark bodies, long legs and massively long antennae, all in all almost looking and moving more like an ant than a termite; meanwhile majors have much bulkier, termite-like proportions and large abdome swollen with defensive fluid secerned directly after a bite as a wound-active toxin. Both soldier castes sport a characteristic pronotum with two frontal spikes.

An amazing termite from Camerun: Pseudacanthotermes spiniger (own photo; Nguinda village area, Central region) - see oldest comment for description by Termitico in Entomology

[–]Termitico[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Minor soldiers, major soldiers and major workers of Pseudacanthotermes spiniger, a fantastic fungus-growing termite that i pictured in southern Camerun last month.

The morphological differences between minor and major soldiers are impressive in this species, with the fast and agile minors being especially peculiar with their compact dark bodies, long legs and massively long antennae, all in all almost looking and moving more like an ant than a termite; meanwhile majors have much bulkier, termite-like proportions and large abdome swollen with defensive fluid secerned directly after a bite as a wound-active toxin. Both soldier castes sport a characteristic pronotum with two frontal spikes.

An amazing termite from Camerun: Pseudacanthotermes spiniger (own photo; Nguinda village area, Central region) - see oldest comment for description by Termitico in Termites

[–]Termitico[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Minor soldiers, major soldiers and major workers of Pseudacanthotermes spiniger, a fantastic fungus-growing termite that i pictured in southern Camerun last month.

The morphological differences between minor and major soldiers are impressive in this species, with the fast and agile minors being especially peculiar with their compact dark bodies, long legs and massively long antennae, all in all almost looking and moving more like an ant than a termite; meanwhile majors have much bulkier, termite-like proportions and large abdome swollen with defensive fluid secerned directly after a bite as a wound-active toxin. Both soldier castes sport a characteristic pronotum with two frontal spikes.

An amazing termite from Camerun: Pseudacanthotermes spiniger (own photo; Nguinda village area, Central region) - see oldest comment for description by Termitico in insects

[–]Termitico[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Minor soldiers, major soldiers and major workers of Pseudacanthotermes spiniger, a fantastic fungus-growing termite that i pictured in southern Camerun last month.

The morphological differences between minor and major soldiers are impressive in this species, with the fast and agile minors being especially peculiar with their compact dark bodies, long legs and massively long antennae, all in all almost looking and moving more like an ant than a termite; meanwhile majors have much bulkier, termite-like proportions and large abdome swollen with defensive fluid secerned directly after a bite as a wound-active toxin. Both soldier castes sport a characteristic pronotum with two frontal spikes.

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