Calcaritermes

Snyder, 1925

Species Guides

1

Calcaritermes is a of drywood termites in the Kalotermitidae. It is primarily Neotropical in distribution, with one Nearctic relic and one anomalous Indomalaysian species. The genus is diagnosed by enlarged outer spines on the fore tibia and dark, smooth, cylindrical soldier capsules. Pseudergates of most species possess unique mesonotal rasps—elevated mounds of overlapping spatulate hypothesized to function in microbial .

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Calcaritermes: /ˌkælkəriˈtɜrmiːz/

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Identification

Soldiers have enlarged outer spines on the fore tibia and dark, smooth, cylindrical capsules. Pseudergates of most (except C. temnocephalus) possess a mesonotal rasp consisting of overlapping spatulate with a midline divide.

Habitat

Sound wood; colonies occupy galleries consisting of meandering tunnels in wood substrate.

Distribution

Primarily Neotropical, ranging from southern Mexico through Central America, the Caribbean, and South America to Brazil. One Nearctic relic (C. nearcticus) occurs in central and northeastern Florida to southeastern Georgia, USA. One anomalous Indomalaysian species (C. krishnai) is known from Great Nicobar Island and Papua New Guinea.

Diet

Wood-feeding; galleries observed in oak wood and other wood substrates.

Life Cycle

Colonies contain soldiers, pseudergates ( immatures), brachypterous nymphs, , and primary queens. Pseudergate mesonotal rasps disappear when nymphs are one from adulthood; no rasp is present on mature reproductives. Alate occurs in forest .

Behavior

Pseudergates use mesonotal rasps for propagation of microbes on gallery surfaces and microbial infusion below the wood surface. Soldiers have phragmotic dark . Gallery architecture consists of meandering tunnels rather than typical kalotermitid patterns.

Ecological Role

Wood decomposition; microbial suggested via mesonotal rasp function in propagating microbes on gallery surfaces.

Sources and further reading