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Family Termitidae - Higher Termites

Isoptera, possibly Subterranean termites? - Gnathamitermes Mojave Desert termites - Gnathamitermes Gnathamitermes Termites from under rock - Gnathamitermes Anoplotermes fumosus Tons of bugs lost their wings??? unknown termite - Tenuirostritermes unknown termite - Tenuirostritermes
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Blattodea (Cockroaches and Termites)
Superfamily Blattoidea
No Taxon (Epifamily Termitoidae - Termites)
Family Termitidae (Higher Termites)
Pronunciation
ter-MIT-i-dee (tĕr-mĭt'ĭ-dē)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Termitidae Latreille 1802
Numbers
by far the largest termite family, with 11 spp. in 5 genera of 3 subfamilies in our area(1), >2000 spp. in almost 250 genera of 8 subfamilies worldwide (70% of all described termite spp.)(2)
Habitat
important foragers of plant litter, grass and dung in the deserts of sw. US
Remarks
Unlike lower termites, which have both bacteria and protozoa in their guts, higher termites have only bacteria. Most are harmless, not known to cause serious structural damage, even though species of Amitermes feed mostly on wood.
[subfamily Apicotermitinae is represented in our area by a single species, Anoplotermes fumosus (Hagen 1860); >200 spp. in 42 genera worldwide(2)]