Heterotermes

Heterotermes is a genus of subterranean termites belonging to the family Rhinotermitidae. The genus has an almost cosmopolitan distribution. One of their closest relatives is the Reticulitermes genus.

General overview
Some Heterotermes have been considered pests because they form large colonies. They feed themselves by gathering cellulose food from dead tree logs, stumps, and branches and in man-made wooden structures such as buildings, books, paper, and other similar objects.

Heterotermes are considered to be highly adaptable, having a relatively fast growth rate in mature colonies with good conditions. They are found in dry and humid wooded areas, such as the West Indies and the Bahamas, except for the Heterotermes aureus, which have been found in Northwestern Mexico and Southwestern United States. An adaptation in Heterotermes is the relatively fast neotenic formation within the colony. They are only observed to have the nymphoid neotenic caste as a secondary reproductive.

They are similar in appearance to the Reticulitermes, but the soldier caste of the Heterotermes are smaller and exhibit a mandible with a curved tip and a base area that is straighter than that of the Reticulitermis.

Primary reproductive
The alates of many Heterotermes and Reticulitermes are very similar in morphology. However, many Heterotermes gynes are more lightly pigmented (color range is usually pale yellow-brown to orange-brown) than Reticulitermes. They are mainly around 7mm-11mm in length. A colony usually only consists of one pair of primary reproductive, but they are occasionally found having more than one pair.

Secondary reproductive
The only found type of secondary reproductive in Heterotermes is Nymphoid neotenic. They usually arise in case of colony isolation or the death of primary reproductives. They start to develop from around 3rd instar nymphs. Older nymphs of this caste are also found to molt back into a Nymphoid neotenic in case they are needed. A colony can have multiple Nymphoid neotenic pairs that get physogastric within the first few weeks to produce eggs. Similar to workers they lack visible eyes and are usually lightly pigmented giving them a light orange-like tint.

Workers and soldiers
Workers build up the majority of a colony alongside soldiers. Workers perform tasks such as food gathering, nest expanding, care for reproductive and brood, while soldiers perform the task of defending intruders. Soldiers will excrete a light grey-tinted sticky liquid when disturbed, and are also found to bump their heads into nest walls to alert fellow colony members about arriving danger.

Species

 * Heterotermes aethiopicus (Sjöstedt, 1911)
 * Heterotermes assu Constantino, 2000
 * Heterotermes aureus (Snyder, 1920)
 * Heterotermes balwanti Mathur & Chhotani, 1969
 * Heterotermes brevicatena Watson & Miller, 1989
 * Heterotermes cardini (Snyder, 1924)
 * Heterotermes ceylonicus (Holmgren, 1911)
 * Heterotermes convexinotatus (Snyder, 1924)
 * Heterotermes crinitus (Emerson, 1924)
 * Heterotermes eocenicus Engel, 2008
 * Heterotermes ferox (Froggatt, 1898)
 * Heterotermes gertrudae Roonwal, 1953
 * Heterotermes indicola (Wasmann, 1902)
 * Heterotermes intermedius Hill, 1932
 * Heterotermes longicatena Watson & Miller, 1989
 * Heterotermes longiceps (Snyder, 1924)
 * Heterotermes maculatus Light, 1933
 * Heterotermes malabaricus Snyder, 1933
 * Heterotermes occiduus (Hill, 1927)
 * Heterotermes omanae Chhotani, 1988
 * Heterotermes pamatatensis Kemner, 1934
 * Heterotermes paradoxus (Froggatt, 1898)
 * Heterotermes perfidus (Silvestri, 1936)
 * Heterotermes philippinensis (Light, 1921)
 * Heterotermes platycephalus Froggatt, 1897
 * Heterotermes primaevus Snyder, 1960
 * Heterotermes sulcatus Mathews, 1977
 * Heterotermes tenuior (Haviland, 1898)
 * Heterotermes tenuis (Hagen, 1858)
 * Heterotermes vagus (Hill, 1927)
 * Heterotermes validus Hill, 1915
 * Heterotermes wittmeri Chhotani & Bose, 1982