Termitotroginae is a
monotypic subfamily of the family
Scarabaeidae, the scarab beetles. The only genus in the subfamily is ''Termititrox''. A second genus, ''Aphodiocopris'', Arrow, 1920, has been
synonym
A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are all ...
ised with ''Termitotrox''. All known members of this subfamily are tiny, blind and flightless, and dwell within the fungal gardens of colonies of species of
termite in Africa or tropical Asia.
Termitotrogins are characterised by having no eyes and no wings, and their pronotum and elytra have a distinctive patterning of ribs and grooves. The function of the beetles in the termite colony is unclear but it seems that they are likely to be obligatory termitophiles and somehow play an important role in the nest environment of their fungus-growing hosts.
Species
The following
species are included in the genus ''Termitotrox'':
[
*'']Termitotrox ancoroides
Termitotroginae is a monotypic subfamily of the family Scarabaeidae, the scarab beetles. The only genus in the subfamily is ''Termititrox''. A second genus, ''Aphodiocopris'', Arrow, 1920, has been synonym (taxonomy), synonymised with ''Termitotr ...
'' (Petrovitz, 1956) – Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo
*''Termitotrox consobrinus
Termitotroginae is a monotypic subfamily of the family Scarabaeidae, the scarab beetles. The only genus in the subfamily is ''Termititrox''. A second genus, ''Aphodiocopris'', Arrow, 1920, has been synonymised with ''Termitotrox''. All known memb ...
'' Reichensperger, 1915 – Republic of South Africa and KwazuluNatal
*''Termitotrox cupido
''Termitotrox cupido'' is a species of scarab beetle in the subfamily Termitotroginae. It was first described by Munetoshi Maruyama in 2012, having been discovered living inside a nest of the termite '' Hypotermes makhamensis'' in Cambodia. It i ...
'' Maruyama, 2012 - Cambodia Termitotrox kenyensis
Termitotroginae is a monotypic subfamily of the family Scarabaeidae, the scarab beetles. The only genus in the subfamily is ''Termititrox''. A second genus, ''Aphodiocopris'', Arrow, 1920, has been synonymised with ''Termitotrox''. All known memb ...
'' Paulian, 1985 – Kenya
*''Termitotrox maynei
Termitotroginae is a monotypic subfamily of the family Scarabaeidae, the scarab beetles. The only genus in the subfamily is ''Termititrox''. A second genus, ''Aphodiocopris'', Arrow, 1920, has been synonymised with ''Termitotrox''. All known memb ...
'' Reichensperger, 1956 – Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo
*''Termitotrox minutus
Termitotroginae is a monotypic subfamily of the family Scarabaeidae, the scarab beetles. The only genus in the subfamily is ''Termititrox''. A second genus, ''Aphodiocopris'', Arrow, 1920, has been synonymised with ''Termitotrox''. All known memb ...
'' (Arrow, 1920) – India
*''Termitotrox monodi
Termitotroginae is a monotypic subfamily of the family Scarabaeidae, the scarab beetles. The only genus in the subfamily is ''Termititrox''. A second genus, ''Aphodiocopris'', Arrow, 1920, has been synonymised with ''Termitotrox''. All known memb ...
'' Paulian, 1947 – Ivory Coast
*''Termitotrox permirus
Termitotroginae is a monotypic subfamily of the family Scarabaeidae, the scarab beetles. The only genus in the subfamily is ''Termititrox''. A second genus, ''Aphodiocopris'', Arrow, 1920, has been synonymised with ''Termitotrox''. All known memb ...
'' Wasmann, 1918 – India
*''Termitotrox turkanicus
Termitotroginae is a monotypic subfamily of the family Scarabaeidae, the scarab beetles. The only genus in the subfamily is ''Termititrox''. A second genus, ''Aphodiocopris'', Arrow, 1920, has been synonymised with ''Termitotrox''. All known memb ...
'' Krikken, 2008 – Kenya
*''Termitotrox usambaricus
Termitotroginae is a monotypic subfamily of the family Scarabaeidae, the scarab beetles. The only genus in the subfamily is ''Termititrox''. A second genus, ''Aphodiocopris'', Arrow, 1920, has been synonymised with ''Termitotrox''. All known memb ...
'' Krikken, 2008 – Tanzania
*''Termitotrox vanbruggeni
Termitotroginae is a monotypic subfamily of the family Scarabaeidae, the scarab beetles. The only genus in the subfamily is ''Termititrox''. A second genus, ''Aphodiocopris'', Arrow, 1920, has been synonymised with ''Termitotrox''. All known memb ...
'' Krikken, 2008 – Kenya
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q16993009
Beetle subfamilies
Scarabaeidae