Geographical origins and dispersions of termite genera

Abstract

However, because of ecological adjustments or for obscure reasons, the largest number of species does not always indicate the region of origin.Examples of medium-specialized genera are Glyptotermes, Coptotermes, Schedorhinotermes, Microcerotermes, Amitermes, Termes, Odontotermes, s. str., and Nasutitermes. It may also be concluded that some ancestral medium-specialized genera now extinct were replaced by specialized endemics. Modern relatives of these unknown medium-specialized genera are Promirotermes, Paracapritermes, Capritermes, Angular iter mes, and Subulitermes. In some instances an ancestral genus may be very close to or identical with the modern relative. For instance, Schedorhinotermes is probably very similar to the ancestral genus that gave rise to the neotropical specialized genera, Rhinotermes, Dolichorhinotermes, and Acorhinotermes, and might thus be considered a medium-specialized genus that was eliminated in the Neotropical region by its own specialized descendants.Specialized endemic genera are those that arose from mediumspecialized genera. These genera are thought to be confined to one region because of climatic or geological barriers at the time of their origin.

Behavior of the North American Termite Tenuirostritemes Tenuirostris, With Special Reference to the Soldier Frontal Gland Secretion, Its Chemical Composition, and Use in Defense

“…This fontanellar gun represents the apex of sophistication among the varied chemical defense mechanisms of the termites. The zoogeography and affinities of the nasutitermitine genera have been discussed by Emerson (1955) and Krishna (I97o) and their defensive behavior by Ernst (I959), Moore (I969) (Collins et al, 1973). Based on 74 foraging groups, the average soldier:worker ratio is :8 9 (I.II% soldiers).…”

Diverse Rhinotermitidae and Termitidae (Isoptera) in Dominican Amber

“…Key to the species of Nasutitermes imagoes in Dominican amber The genus Subulitermes, treated today in a more restricted sense than that of Snyder (1949) and Emerson (1955), presently consists of six living species from the Neotropical Region. The distribution is very similar to that of Atlantitermes, with only one species reported from the West Indies, also from the subcontinental island of Trinidad (table 1).…”

Survey of Social Insects in the Fossil Record

“…This latter finding is highly intriguing because the family Mastotermitidae today has but one species, Mastotermes darwiniensis, which is restricted to northern Australia. Emerson (1955) postulates that this widespread IThe sixth family is the Serritermitidae an aberrant taxon known from only one species. 2A look at past climatic shifts provides additional insight into the redistribution of the termites, particularly with respect to the Mastotermitidae, now solely restricted to Australia.…”

“…*Manuscript received by the editor July 7, 1978. 85 Psyche [March Five of the six families of termites recognized by Emerson (1955) have a fossil record extending at least as far back as the Tertiary. In 1967, Cretatermes carpenteri (Hodotermitidae) was found in an Upper Cretaceous deposit in Labrador (Fig.…”