Trinervitermes


Trinervitermes is a termite genus belonging to family Termitidae. Members are native to the Old World. They inhabit grasslands and store grass in their nests or mounds, just below the ground surface. Their grass-collecting activities are mainly nocturnal. The soldier caste has atrophied mandibles and a fontanelle squirt gun on the frons. Diterpenes and monoterpenes are released to deter ants and smaller predators, but these are not effective against larger mammalian predators. Due to the snout on the head of soldiers and their grass-collecting habits, they are known as snouted harvester termites.

Species

Species include:Trinervitermes biformisIndia and Sri LankaTrinervitermes disparEast Africa to South AfricaTrinervitermes rapulumEast Africa to southern AfricaTrinervitermes rhodesiensis – East Africa to southern AfricaTrinervitermes trinervoidesSouth Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and MozambiqueTrinervitermes rubidusSri Lanka