Termites are a group of detritophagous eusocial insects which consume a wide variety of decaying plant material, generally in the form of wood, leaf litter, and soil humus. They are distinguished by their moniliform antennae and the soft-bodied and typically unpigmented worker caste for which they have been commonly termed "white ants"; however, they are not ants, to which they are distantly related. About 2,972 extant species are currently described, 2,105 of which are members of the family Termitidae.
Metarhizium robertsii – formerly known as M. anisopliae, and even earlier as Entomophthora anisopliae (basionym) – is a fungus that grows naturally in soils throughout the world and causes disease in various insects by acting as a parasitoid. Ilya I. Mechnikov named it after the insect species from which it was originally isolated – the beetle Anisoplia austriaca. It is a mitosporic fungus with asexual reproduction, which was formerly classified in the form class Hyphomycetes of the phylum Deuteromycota.
Mastotermes darwiniensis, common names giant northern termite and Darwin termite, is a termite species found only in northern Australia. It is the most primitive extant termite species. Contrary to common belief, this species does not form mounds as the nests are subterranean and inconspicuous. Colonies will readily occupy and infest decomposing wood but primarily live in a complex subterranean network of tunnels and galleries which they use to travel to new food sites. Colonies may eventually split and form isolated satellite colonies.
The Macrotermitinae, the fungus-growing termites, constitute a subfamily of the family Termitidae that is only found within the Old World tropics.
Termitidae is the largest family of termites consisting of 2,105 described species of which are commonly known as the higher termites. They are evolutionarily the most specialised termite group, with their highly compartmentalized hindgut lacking the flagellated protozoans common to "lower termites", which are instead replaced by bacteria. Whereas lower termites are restricted mostly to woody tissue, higher termites have diverse diets consisting of wood, grass, leaf litter, fungi, lichen, faeces, humus and soil. Around 60% of species rely on soil-feeding alone.
Nasutitermes corniger is a species of arboreal termite that is endemic to the neotropics. It is very closely related to Nasutitermes ephratae. The species has been studied relatively intensively, particularly on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. These studies and others have shown that the termite interacts with many different organisms including a bat that roosts in its nest and various species of ants that cohabit with the termite.
Coptotermes is a genus of termites in the family Rhinotermitidae. Many of the roughly 71 species are economically destructive pests. The genus is thought to have originated in Southeast Asia. Worker termites from this genus forage underground and move about in roofed tunnels that they build along the surface.
Postelectrotermes militaris, the up-country tea termite, is a species of drywood termite of the genus Postelectrotermes. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. It is a serious pest of tea.
Heterotermes indicola, is a species of subterranean termite of the genus Heterotermes. It is native to tropical India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka but has extended its range into the subtropics and warm temperate areas of the Himalayan foothills to altitudes of about 2,000 m (6,600 ft). It causes damage to timber in buildings and is one of the most destructive termites in urban and agricultural areas in the world. Soldiers are about 4.1-4.9mm long. Extracts of garlic and Calotropis procera are known to have termiticidal effects on H. indicola.
Macrotermes convulsionarius is a species of termite of the family Termitidae. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. Soldiers are very large with well developed mandibles. It is a major pest of many wood works in buildings. Flagellated bacteria such as Bacillus, Acinitobacter, Salmonella, Enterobacter, and Enterococcus are found abundant in gut of M. convulsionarius.
The sugarcane termite is a species of termite of the genus Odontotermes. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. It is recorded from coconut palms and is a pest of sugarcane.
Odontotermes horni, is a species of termite of the genus Odontotermes. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. It attacks many dead, decaying trees and fertilized soil. Though nests on ground, they do not construct a termitaria. It is a pest of tea, coconut and sugarcane.
Microtermes macronotus is a small species of termite of the family Termitidae. It is native to India and Sri Lanka.
Speculitermes sinhalensis, is a species of termite of the genus Speculitermes. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. It was first found from Vavuniya. They are typical subterranean soil humus feeding termites, which can be found under logs, decaying trees, rocks.
Hospitalitermes is an Asian–Papuan genus of lichen eating termite in the subfamily Nasutitermitinae. There are 37 species currently listed, of which most are recognized for their extensive surface foraging columns. Due to their conspicuous foraging activities they are commonly known as processionary or marching termites. They often inhabit cavities inside of living trees excavated by other species of termite.
Ceylonitermes is a genus of termites in the subfamily Nasutitermitinae. They are found in South and Southeast Asia.
Syntermes is a genus of large Neotropical higher termites within the subfamily Syntermitinae. The genus is found only in South America where members are distributed widely throughout the continent, being found from the tropical rainforests of Colombia to the savannas of Brazil and Northern Argentina.
Odontotermes formosanus is a species of fungus-growing termite in the family Termitidae. It is native to southeastern Asia and was first described from Taiwan. This termite cultivates a symbiotic fungus in a special chamber in the nest. Workers and soldiers gather vegetable detritus which they bring back to the colony, chewing the material to a pulp to make a suitable substrate on which to grow the fungus.
Holotrichia serrata, commonly known as the sugarcane white grub, or cockchafer grub, is a species of dung beetle found in India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
