Species Amitermes perarmatus (Silvestri, 1909)

Museums

Regional Maps

• Monodontermes perarmatus Silvestri, F. 1909. Isoptera. 279-314 pls xvi-xxi in Michaelsen, W. & Hartmeyer, R. (eds). Die Fauna Südwest-Australiens. Jena : G. Fischer Vol. 2. [300].

  Type data:

   Lectotype ZMH soldier, Yalgoo, WA.

  Subsequent designation references:

  Gay, F.J. 1968. A contribution to the systematics of the genus Amitermes (Isoptera: Termitidae) in Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology 16: 405-457 [442] (Gay referred to the 'holotype soldier' in ZMH. Silvestri had at least two soldiers, as his figures 145 and 146 show. Weidner, H. 1955. Die Typen der Isoptera-Sammlung des Zoologischen Staatsinstituts und Zoologischen Museums Hamburg. Insectes Sociaux 2: 247–254 [249] did not indicate how many soldiers the type series contained. Now only one remains, so that Gay's reference to the 'holotype' can be regarded as a lectotype designation); Watson, J.A.L., Miller, L.R. & Abbey, H.M. 1998. Isoptera. pp. 163-250 in Houston, W.W.K. & Wells, A. (eds). Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Archaeognatha, Zygentoma, Blattodea, Isoptera, Mantodea, Dermaptera, Phasmatodea, Embioptera, Zoraptera. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing, Australia Vol. 23 xiii 464 pp. (interpret Gay's incorrect reference to a type as a lectotype designation (Art. 74, ICZN 1985)).

 

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, South Australia, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Barrow Is.

IBRA and IMCRA regions

drainage basins and coastal and oceanic zones

IBRA

NT, SA, WA: Avon Wheatbelt (AW), Burt Plain (BRT), Carnarvon (CAR), Channel Country (CHC), Coolgardie (COO), Central Ranges (CR), Dampierland (DL), Davenport Murchison Ranges (DMR), Esperance Plains (ESP), Finke (FIN), Gascoyne (GAS), Gibson Desert (GD), Geraldton Sandplains (GS), Great Sandy Desert (GSD), Great Victoria Desert (GVD), Hampton (HAM), Jarrah Forest (JF), Little Sandy Desert (LSD), MacDonnell Ranges (MAC), Mallee (MAL), Mitchell Grass Downs (MGD), Murchison (MUR), Nullarbor (NUL), Pilbara (PIL), Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields (SSD), Stony Plains (STP), Sturt Plateau (STU), Swan Coastal Plain (SWA), Tanami (TAN), Warren (WAR), Yalgoo (YAL)

Original AFD Distribution Data

Australian Region

• Australia
  • Northern Territory: Lake Eyre basin, W plateau
  • South Australia: Lake Eyre basin
  • Western Australia: NW coastal, SW coastal, W plateau

Ecological Descriptors

Soil dweller, terrestrial.

Extra Ecological Information

Social, nest subterranean, diffuse, diet weathered wood, plant detritus, dry grass, dry dung.

 

General References

Gay, F.J. 1968. A contribution to the systematics of the genus Amitermes (Isoptera: Termitidae) in Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology 16: 405-457 [442] (biology)

Hill, G.F. 1942. Termites (Isoptera) from the Australian Region. Melbourne : Council for Scientific and Industrial Research 479 pp. 24 pls. [344] (incorrectly as Hamitermes perornatus , in a list of species of unknown habitat (112) and, later (125), in a list showing distributions, known castes and nests)

Watson, J.A.L. & Abbey, H.M. 1993. Atlas of Australian Termites. Melbourne & Canberra : Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation 158 pp. [70] (distribution)

 

History of changes

Published	As part of group	Action Date	Action Type	Compiler(s)
		12-Feb-2010	(import)