Nasutitermitinae


The Nasutitermitinae is a near cosmopolitan subfamily of higher termites represented by 81 genera and 605 species. The highly derived soldier caste exhibits vestigial mandibles and a protruding fontanellar process on the head, known as the nasus, from which they can "shoot" chemical weaponry. Notable genera include the notorious wood-eating Nasutitermes, and the conspicuous Hospitalitermes and Constrictotermes, both distinguished for their brazen habit of forming extensive foraging trails out in the open.

Genera

The Termite Catalogue lists the following genera:
  • Aciculioiditermes
  • Aciculitermes
  • Afrosubulitermes
  • Agnathotermes
  • Ahmaditermes
  • Ampoulitermes
  • Angularitermes
  • Anhangatermes
  • Antillitermes
  • Araujotermes
  • Arcotermes
  • Atlantitermes
  • Australitermes
  • Baucaliotermes
  • Bulbitermes
  • Caetetermes
  • Caribitermes
  • Ceylonitermellus
  • Ceylonitermes
  • Coarctotermes
  • Coatitermes
  • Coendutermes
  • Constrictotermes
  • Convexitermes
  • Cortaritermes
  • Cucurbitermes
  • Cyranotermes
  • Diversitermes
  • Diwaitermes
  • Eleanoritermes
  • Emersonitermes
  • Enetotermes
  • Ereymatermes
  • Eutermellus
  • Fulleritermes
  • Grallatotermes
  • Havilanditermes
  • Hirtitermes
  • Hospitalitermes
  • Kaudernitermes
  • Lacessititermes
  • Leptomyxotermes
  • Leucopitermes
  • Longipeditermes
  • Macrosubulitermes
  • Malagasitermes
  • Malaysiotermes
  • Mimeutermes
  • Mironasutitermes
  • Mycterotermes
  • Nasopilotermes
  • Nasutitermes
  • Ngauratermes
  • Niuginitermes
  • Obtusitermes
  • Occasitermes
  • Occultitermes
  • Oriensubulitermes
  • Paraconvexitermes
  • Parvitermes
  • Periaciculitermes
  • Peribulbitermes
  • Postsubulitermes
  • Rhadinotermes
  • Roonwalitermes
  • Rotunditermes
  • Rounditermes
  • Sinonasutitermes
  • Sinqasapatermes
  • Snootitermes
  • Spatulitermes
  • Subulioiditermes
  • Subulitermes
  • Tarditermes
  • Tenuirostritermes
  • Thailanditermes
  • Triangularitermes
  • Trinervitermes
  • Tumulitermes
  • Velocitermes
  • Verrucositermes
  • ''Xiaitermes''

    Nasutes

The fontanellar gun is a defense mechanism in the form of a horn-like frontal projection on the head of a specialized nasute soldier caste which is capable of expelling chemical weaponry at a distance, a trait exclusive to the subfamily Nasutitermitinae. It is primarily used to ward off predators such as ants.