Termites of the World

This genus is very closely related to Ahamitermes and has an almost identical biology - carton-feeders within the nests of Coptotermes. They differe form species of Ahamitermes in that colonies are tolerated within the nests and because Incolitermes alates are reliant on the Coptotermes to open exit holes up for them when they are swarming. The transition series from Amitermes through Ahamitermes to Incoliterms is an excellent example of gradual specialisation within a clade.

A common south-east Asian wood-feeding genus, nesting underground, predominantly in tropical rain forest. One species, G. sulphureus, has soldiers whose abdomens dehisce, covering any attacker with an sticky orange-yellow chemical (Bordereau et al. 1997 ).  

This genus, and its sister genus Orthognathotermes, are unusual among this genus-group in having highly seclotised enteric valves, large crops and long apical mandibular teeth. The soldiers also have an unusual morphology. Although direct natural history evidence is scanty, it seems likley that they have an analogous biology to the Euchilotermes-group Cubitermitinae in Africa, feeding on the mound material of mound-building termites.

This genus contains three described species: A. nidicola Mjoberg (Queensland), A. hillii Nicholls (south-western Australia), and A. inclusus Gay (restricted to a small sub-coastal area in mid- Western Australia).  All the species have a species-specific parasitic nesting relationship with either one of two species of the genus Coptotermes. They live in specific parts of the inner sections of Coptotermes nests, using as food the carton composing these sections, and are thus dependent on the host for food and shelter.

This is generally thought to be the earliest branching of the termite families.

Termites are eusocial cockroaches.

deserts and semi-deserts of North Africa, South-west Asia and the Middle East.