Odontotermes, commonly known as the fungus-growing termites, is a termite genus belonging to family Termitidae, which is native to the Old World. They are most destructive in wooden homes,[1] and are agricultural pests in the tropics and subtropics of Africa and Asia.[2] It is the most diverse termite genus in Africa, with 78 species recorded (as of 2002).[3]
Their underground nests form a slight mound above ground, which may be covered in grass.[1] In large colonies, the mounds may be up to 6 m (20 ft) in diameter, and may be covered by shrubs and trees. Some species construct open chimneys or vent holes that descend into the mound. The fungal garden is enveloped by a thick layer of clay.[1]
The queen is imprisoned in a clay cell in the midst of the fungal garden at the center of the hive. The African species have a single soldier cast, unlike the related genus Macrotermes.
Their only food is the fungus grown in the fungal garden at the center of the nest. The fungus is cultivated on a substrate of wood, bark, leaf litter, dry dung, and dead grass.[1] These are plastered with cement where they are obtained, which facilitates diurnal foraging. Odontotermes species are major contributors to litter decomposition.[2] The fungus Termitomyces reticulatus is found in association with O. badius and O. transvaalensis in Africa.[4]
Species include:
O. badius worker
Cement plastered over tree bark
Workers foraging on tree bark under cement
Workers in ventilation tunnel
Odontotermes, commonly known as the fungus-growing termites, is a termite genus belonging to family Termitidae, which is native to the Old World. They are most destructive in wooden homes, and are agricultural pests in the tropics and subtropics of Africa and Asia. It is the most diverse termite genus in Africa, with 78 species recorded (as of 2002).
Odontotermes es un género de termitas perteneciente a la familia Termitidae que tiene las siguientes especies:
Datos: Q16613209
Multimedia: Category:Odontotermes
Especies: Odontotermes
Odontotermes es un género de termitas perteneciente a la familia Termitidae que tiene las siguientes especies:
Odontotermes adampurensis Odontotermes agilis Odontotermes akengeensis Odontotermes amanicus Odontotermes anamallensis Odontotermes anceps Odontotermes angustatus Odontotermes angustignathus Odontotermes angustipennis Odontotermes annulicornis Odontotermes apollo Odontotermes aquaticus Odontotermes assmuthi Odontotermes aurora Odontotermes badius Odontotermes bellahunisensis Odontotermes bequaerti Odontotermes bhagwatii Odontotermes billitoni Odontotermes boetonensis Odontotermes bomaensis Odontotermes boranicus Odontotermes borgoriensis Odontotermes bottegoanus Odontotermes boveni Odontotermes brunneus Odontotermes buchholzi Odontotermes butteli Odontotermes caffrariae Odontotermes capensis Odontotermes celebensis Odontotermes ceylonicus Odontotermes classicus Odontotermes conignathus Odontotermes culturarum Odontotermes denticulatus Odontotermes diana Odontotermes dimorphus Odontotermes distans Odontotermes dives Odontotermes djampeensis Odontotermes domesticus Odontotermes ebeni Odontotermes egregius Odontotermes elgonensis Odontotermes erodens Odontotermes escherichi Odontotermes fallax Odontotermes feae Odontotermes feaeoides Odontotermes fidens Odontotermes flammifrons Odontotermes fockianus Odontotermes fontanellus Odontotermes formosanus Odontotermes foveafrons Odontotermes fulleri Odontotermes fuyangensis Odontotermes ganpati Odontotermes garambae Odontotermes giriensis Odontotermes globicola Odontotermes grandiceps Odontotermes grassei Odontotermes gravelyi Odontotermes guptai Odontotermes gurdaspurensis Odontotermes hageni Odontotermes hainanensis Odontotermes holmgreni Odontotermes horai Odontotermes incisus Odontotermes indicus Odontotermes indrapurensis Odontotermes interveniens Odontotermes iratus Odontotermes javanicus Odontotermes kapuri Odontotermes karawajevi Odontotermes karnyi Odontotermes kibarensis Odontotermes koenigi Odontotermes kulkarnii Odontotermes lacustris Odontotermes latericius Odontotermes latialatus Odontotermes latigula Odontotermes latiguloides Odontotermes latissimus Odontotermes lautus Odontotermes lobintactus Odontotermes longignathus Odontotermes longigula Odontotermes longzhouensis Odontotermes luoyangensis Odontotermes maesodensis Odontotermes magadalenae Odontotermes makassarensis Odontotermes malaccensis Odontotermes maladictus Odontotermes malelaensis Odontotermes maliki Odontotermes mathuri Odontotermes maximus Odontotermes mediocris Odontotermes meridionalis Odontotermes microdentatus Odontotermes microps Odontotermes minutus Odontotermes mirganjensis Odontotermes mohandi Odontotermes monodon Odontotermes montanus Odontotermes mukimbunginis Odontotermes neodenticulatus Odontotermes nilensis Odontotermes nolaensis Odontotermes obesus Odontotermes oblongatus Odontotermes okahandjae Odontotermes ostentans Odontotermes palmquisti Odontotermes paradenticulatus Odontotermes paralatigula Odontotermes parallelus Odontotermes paraoblongatus Odontotermes parvidens Odontotermes patruus Odontotermes pauperans Odontotermes peshawarensis Odontotermes planiceps Odontotermes praevalens Odontotermes preliminaris Odontotermes pretoriensis Odontotermes prodives Odontotermes profeae Odontotermes proformosanus Odontotermes prolatigula Odontotermes proximus Odontotermes pujiangensis Odontotermes pyriceps Odontotermes qianyangensis Odontotermes ramulosus Odontotermes rectanguloides Odontotermes redemanni Odontotermes rehobothensis Odontotermes robustus Odontotermes rothschildianus Odontotermes salebrifrons Odontotermes sarawakensis Odontotermes schmitzi Odontotermes scrutor Odontotermes sellathorax Odontotermes shanglinensis Odontotermes sikkimensis Odontotermes silamensis Odontotermes silvaticus Odontotermes silvestrii Odontotermes silvicolus Odontotermes simalurensis Odontotermes simplicidens Odontotermes sinabangensis Odontotermes singsiti Odontotermes sjostedti Odontotermes smeathmani Odontotermes snyderi Odontotermes somaliensis Odontotermes stanleyvillensis Odontotermes stercorivorus Odontotermes sudanensis Odontotermes sundaicus Odontotermes takensis Odontotermes tanganicus Odontotermes taprobanes Odontotermes terricola Odontotermes tragardhi Odontotermes transvaalensis Odontotermes vaishno Odontotermes vulgaris Odontotermes wallonensis Odontotermes wuzhishanensis Odontotermes yadevi Odontotermes yaoi Odontotermes yarangensis Odontotermes yunnanensis Odontotermes zambesiensis Odontotermes zulunatalensis Odontotermes zunyiensisOdontotermes is een geslacht van termieten (Isoptera) uit de familie Termitidae. De wetenschappelijke naam van het geslacht is voor het eerst geldig gepubliceerd in 1910 door Nils Holmgren, aanvankelijk als een ondergeslacht van Termes.[1][2] In 1912 beschreef hij Odontotermes als een afzonderlijk geslacht.[3]
Dit soortenrijk geslacht komt voor in tropisch en subtropisch Afrika en Azië. De termieten uit dit geslacht wonen ondergronds waar ze "schimmelkwekerijen" aanleggen in hun nesten om plantaardig materiaal af te breken voor hun voedselvoorziening. Ze zijn in die hoedanigheid belangrijk als opruimers van plantaardig afval in het woud, maar ze kunnen ook aanzienlijke schade toebrengen aan landbouwteelten en bomenplantages, waar ze de bast en de wortels van de bomen beschadigen. De schimmels uit het geslacht Termitomyces worden gekweekt op fecale materie (uitwerpselen van de termieten).[4]
Bronnen, noten en/of referenties
