4-442: See text The Nasutitermitinae is a cosmopolitan subfamily of higher termites that includes more than 80 genera. They are most recognisable by the more highly derived soldier caste which exhibits vestigial mandibles and a protruding fontanellar process on the head from which they can "shoot" chemical weaponry. True workers of certain genera within this subfamily also exhibit a visible epicranial y suture, most notably found within
8-501: 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 and archaea . 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. The family contains
12-445: The following subfamilies: Imago forewing and hindwing scales either evenly or closely sized and non-overlapping. Both forewing and hindwing scales have a developed suture with strongly sclerotized and reduced veins. Ocelli of imago typically (but not always) protruding above head capsule. Pronotum of all castes is "saddled", with a pronounced anterior lobe as a result of the pronotum's anterior corners being depressed. Postclypeus of
16-447: The members of Nasutitermes . Notable genera include the notorious wood-eating Nasutitermes , and the conspicuous Hospitalitermes and Constrictotermes , both genera characterized by their behavior of forming large open-air foraging trails. The Termite Catalogue lists the following: Termitidae See text Termitidae is the largest family of termites consisting of 2,105 described species of which are commonly known as
#682317