Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The first description of alate and supplementary description of soldier of Reticulitermes aculabialis Tsai et Hwang (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae)

  • Original Research Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The subterranean termite Reticulitermes aculabialis was firstly described from the soldier caste in 1977 and diagnose from the imago has been difficult due to the lack of description of alate. In this paper, a detailed description of alate for R. aculabialis is presented, including additional data to soldiers. The data are chiefly based on the external morphology of R. aculabialis imago, which has never been described before. All the samples of alates and soldiers were collected in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, China. All of the essential specific characteristics are illustrated for identification purposes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Gao D, Shi W, Zhu B (1984) Survey of termites in the Chongqing district with description of a new species. Entomotaxonomia 6:295–297

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang F, Li G, Zhu S (1992) Chinese termite classification and biology. Tianze Press, Yangling

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang F, Zhu S, Ping Z (2000) Fauna Sinica: Insecta Vol. 17: Isoptera. Science Press, 342

  • Krishna K, Grimaldi DA, Krishna V, Engel MS (2013) Treatise on the Isoptera of the World. Bull Am Mus Nat Hist 377:1–2704

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin S (1988) Reticulitermes and its control, China. Science and Technology of Termites 5:1–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsai PH, Huang F, Li G (1977) Note of the genus Reticulitermes (Isoptera) from China, with descriptions of new subgenera and new species. Acta Entomol Sin 20:465–475

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsai PH, Huang F (1983) A taxonomy of the subfamily Hererotermitinae. Acta Entomol Sin 26:431–436

    Google Scholar 

  • Xing L, Hu C, Cheng J (1998) Foraging populations and territories of Reticulitermes aculabialis Tsai et Hwang (Isoptera Rhinotermitidae) in urban environment. Journal of Zhejiang Agricultural University 24:167–170

    Google Scholar 

  • Xing L, Maekawa K, Miura T, Kitadae O, Matsumoto T (2001) A reexamination of the taxonomic position of Chinese Heterotermes aculabialis (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase II gene. J Entomol Sci 4(1):53–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Xing L, Liu M, Kong X, Liu X, Su X, Yin L, Tan J (2013) Parthenogenetic reproductive behavior and initial colony foundation in the termite, Reticulitermes aculabialis. Chin J Appl Entomol 50:1671–1678. https://doi.org/10.7679/j.issn.2095-1353-2013.230

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the National Science Foundation of China (31170363, 31370428) and Opening Foundation of Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China (Northwest University), Ministry of Education. We thank Ms Guo Xiao-Hui for her help in sample measurement and unknown reviewers for their comments.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Zahid Khan and Yu-Xin Li are equally contributed to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China

    Zahid Khan, Yu-Xin Li, Xiao-Hong Su & Lian-Xi Xing

  2. Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China (Northwest University), Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China

    Xiao-Hong Su & Lian-Xi Xing

  3. College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China

    Zahid Khan, Yu-Xin Li, Qing Liu, Xiao-Hong Su & Lian-Xi Xing

  4. Department of Zoology, University of Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

    Zahid Khan

Authors
  1. Zahid Khan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yu-Xin Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Qing Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xiao-Hong Su
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Lian-Xi Xing
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Xing Lian-Xi and Zahid Khan conceived and designed the study, and wrote the main manuscript text. Yu-Xin Li and Qing Liu performed the study. Su Xiao-Hong collected termites. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lian-Xi Xing.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Khan, Z., Li, YX., Liu, Q. et al. The first description of alate and supplementary description of soldier of Reticulitermes aculabialis Tsai et Hwang (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae). Int J Trop Insect Sci 41, 2643–2648 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-021-00445-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-021-00445-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation