Family KALOTERMITIDAE

<I>Kalotermes rufinotum</I>, head of soldier

Kalotermes rufinotum, head of soldier

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Family KALOTERMITIDAE

Compiler and date details

J.A.L. Watson, L.R. Miller & H.M. Abbey, CSIRO Entomology, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

Introduction

This family includes eight Australian genera and 46 recognised species (Watson & Gay 1991). One genus, Ceratokalotermes, is endemic. Krishna (1961) revised the Kalotermitidae world-wide. Following the discovery in the mid-1960s that the West Indian Drywood Termite Cryptotermes brevis had become established in Queensland, extensive surveys for Australian kalotermitids led to the recognition of many new species and clarification of the status of others. Resulting taxonomic papers include Watson et al. (1984) (Bifiditermes), Gay & Watson (1982) (Cryptotermes), Eldridge (1991) (Glyptotermes), Gay (1976a) (Incisitermes), Gay (1977), Sewell & Gay (1978) and Gay & Sewell (unpublished) (Kalotermes), and Gay (1976b) (Procryptotermes). The genus Neotermes needs revision, and undescribed species are known of Ceratokalotermes, Cryptotermes, Glyptotermes, Incisitermes, Kalotermes and Procryptotermes (Watson & Abbey 1993).

The colonies of all species are small, up to a few thousand individuals, and nest in dead wood, almost always above ground: they do not require ground connection. Development of castes is very flexible, perhaps linked to the expendable nature of their habitat; if essential supplies of food or moisture fail, colony members can transform into alates, and fly to better sites (Watson & Sewell 1985). Some species nest in damp wood; others in dry wood but they extend their galleries into live, moist wood next to it, giving them access to water; and some, the so-called drywood termites, are confined to dry wood. In all Australian genera, the nest and feeding areas appear to be coextensive so, as mentioned in the General Introduction, we give no formal descriptors for the diet of kalotermitids. Only one genus of kalotermitids found in Australia poses major economic problems—the genus Cryptotermes, the main group of drywood termites. The native species C. primus and the introduced C. brevis, the West Indian Drywood Termite, are the most important culprits. However, other species of Cryptotermes, and species of Bifiditermes, Glyptotermes, Kalotermes and Neotermes can damage living trees or timber in service. Cryptotermes dudleyi Banks, one of the important economic pests that is distributed by human activities, is included in this database although it is not established on mainland Australia. It has been detected as quarantine interceptions across the north coast of Australia — WA, NT and Qld. There is a 1933 record of C. dudleyi from a building on Thursday Island (probably introduced), but recent collections have failed to relocate it (R.H. Eldridge, pers. comm., 2006).

Diagnosis

Alate: antennae 11- to 21-segmented; ocelli small, close to eyes; frontal gland absent; left and right mandibles with two marginal teeth; pronotum as broad as or broader than head; wing venation reticulate, forewing scale large, overlapping hindwing scale; tarsi 4-segmented; tibial formula 3–3–3; cerci short, 2-segmented; styli present.

Soldier: antennae 10- to 19-segmented; eyes, if present, rudimentary; fontanelle absent; mandibles well developed, variably denticulate; head phragmotic in some genera; pronotum flat, usually as wide as or wider than head; tarsi 4-segmented, tibial formula 3–3–3.