Constrictotermes Explained

Constrictotermes^[1] is a genus of Neotropical higher termites within the subfamily Nasutitermitinae.^[2] They form large open-air foraging columns from which they travel to and from their sources of food, similar to the Indomalayan species of processionary termites. Species of this genus commonly build epigeal or arboreal nests and feed on a variety of lichens, rotted woods and mosses.^[3] ^[4]

Description

Soldiers are monomorphic and identifiable with a notable constriction of the head behind the antenna sockets; the antenna have 13-14 articles, and the points of the mandibles are small.^[5] Species of this genus are distributed throughout the Neotropics, occurring primarily within South America and Central America; with one species, C. guantanamensis, being found within the extreme southeastern coast of Cuba.^[6] Within South America, Constrictotermes spp. can be found from the tropical rainforests of the Amazon to the xeric shrublands of Northeastern Brazil.

As with all Nasutitermitinae termites, the soldiers are capable of shooting a noxious terpene based chemical repellant from their fontanellar gun that solidifies when exposed to air.

Species

Constrictotermes cavifrons
Constrictotermes cyphergaster
Constrictotermes guantanamensis
Constrictotermes latinotus
Constrictotermes rupestris
Constrictotermes cacaoensis

Notes and References

Constrictotermes Holmgren, 1910
Web site: Mindat.org . 2022-04-29 . www.mindat.org.
Web site: 2011-05-06 . Termites of the Amazon rainforest - part 2 - Termite Web . 2022-04-29 . www.termiteweb.com . en-US.
Vasconcellos . Alexandre . Araújo . Virgínia F.P. . Moura . Flávia M.S. . Bandeira . Adelmar G. . October 2007 . Biomass and population structure of Constrictotermes cyphergaster (Silvestri) (Isoptera: termitidae) in the dry forest of caatinga, northeastern Brazil . Neotropical Entomology . 36 . 5 . 693–698 . 10.1590/s1519-566x2007000500009 . 1519-566X. free . 18060294 .
CONSTANTINO . REGINALDO . 2002-08-29 . An illustrated key to Neotropical termite genera (Insecta: Isoptera) based primarily on soldiers . Zootaxa . 67 . 1 . 1 . 10.11646/zootaxa.67.1.1 . 1175-5334.
Krěcěk . Jan . Scheffrahn . Rudolf H. . Roisin . Yves . 1996 . Greater Antillean Nasutitermitinae (Isoptera: Termitidae): Constrictotermes guantanamensis, a New Subterranean Termite from Eastern Cuba . The Florida Entomologist . 79 . 2 . 180–187 . 10.2307/3495815 . 0015-4040. free . 3495815 .