Species Amitermes laurensis (Mjöberg, 1920)

Museums

Regional Maps

• Hamitermes laurensis Mjöberg, E. 1920. Results of Dr. E. Mjöberg's Swedish scientific expeditions to Australia 1910–1913. 19. Isoptera. Arkiv för Zoologi 12(15): 1-128 pls 1-6 [74].

  Type data:

   Lectotype NHRM soldier, Laura, QLD.
  Paralectotype(s) NHRM ♀ neotenics, nymphs, workers, eggs (type colony).

  Subsequent designation references:

  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.
• Hamitermes perplexus Hill, G.F. 1922. On some Australian termites of the genera Drepanotermes, Hamitermes and Leucotermes. Bulletin of Entomological Research 12: 363-399 pls ix-xii [381] [junior secondary homonym of Amitermes perplexus Banks, 1920].

  Type data:

   Lectotype ANIC No. 9167 ♂ alate, Townsville, QLD.
  Paralectotype(s) ANIC soldier, neotenic, worker (morphotypes); ANIC series No. 10 57 alates, soldier, workers (type colony).

  Subsequent designation references:

  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.
• Hamitermes wilsoni Hill, G.F. 1922. Descriptions and biology of some north Australian termites. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 47: 142-160 pls xxiii-xxv [159] [nom. nov. for Hamitermes perplexus Hill, 1922].

 

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Hill, G.F. 1942. Termites (Isoptera) from the Australian Region. Melbourne : Council for Scientific and Industrial Research 479 pp. 24 pls. [330]

 

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, Queensland

Extra Distribution Information

Moa Is., also Thursday Is., New Guinea.

IBRA and IMCRA regions

drainage basins and coastal and oceanic zones

IBRA

NT, Qld: Arnhem Coast (ARC), Arnhem Plateau (ARP), Brigalow Belt North (BBN), Brigalow Belt South (BBS), Central Arnhem (CA), Central Mackay Coast (CMC), Cape York Peninsula (CYP), Daly Basin (DAB), Darwin Coastal (DAC), Desert Uplands (DEU), Einasleigh Uplands (EIU), Gulf Fall and Uplands (GFU), Gulf Coastal (GUC), Gulf Plains (GUP), Mount Isa Inlier (MII), NSW North Coast (NNC), Ord Victoria Plain (OVP), Pine Creek (PCK), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Tiwi Cobourg (TIW), Victoria Bonaparte (VB), Wet Tropics (WT)

Original AFD Distribution Data

Australian Region

• Australia
  • Northern Territory: N Gulf, N coastal
  • Queensland: N Gulf, NE coastal

Ecological Descriptors

Soil dweller, terrestrial.

Extra Ecological Information

Social, nests in mounds, diet dry grass, plant detritus, dung.

 

General References

Hill, G.F. 1922. On some Australian termites of the genera Drepanotermes, Hamitermes and Leucotermes. Bulletin of Entomological Research 12: 363-399 pls ix-xii [385-388] (biology)

Hill, G.F. 1942. Termites (Isoptera) from the Australian Region. Melbourne : Council for Scientific and Industrial Research 479 pp. 24 pls. [331-333] (biology)

Jacklyn, P.M. 1992. "Magnetic" termite mound surfaces are oriented to suit wind and shade conditions. Oecologia (Berlin) 91: 385-395 (mound orientation)

Watson, J.A.L. & Abbey, H.M. 1993. Atlas of Australian Termites. Melbourne & Canberra : Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation 158 pp. [64] (distribution)

 

History of changes

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