Archotermopsidae is a family of termites in the
order Blattodea
Blattodea is an order of insects that contains cockroaches and termites. Formerly, termites were considered a separate order, Isoptera, but genetic and molecular evidence suggests they evolved from within the cockroach lineage, cladistically ...
, known as dampwood termites, formerly included within the family
Termopsidae
Termopsidae is an extinct family of termites in the order Blattodea. The five extant genera formerly included in Termopsidae ('' Archotermopsis'', '' Hodotermopsis'', '' Porotermes'', '' Stolotermes'', and ''Zootermopsis'') have recently been trea ...
. They constitute a small and rather primitive
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
with five extant
genera and 13–20 living
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
.
[ They may be a nuisance, but compared to the drywood termites (]Kalotermitidae
Kalotermitidae is a family of termites, commonly known as drywood termites. Kalotermitidae includes 21 genera and 419 species. The family has a cosmopolitan circumtropical distribution, and is found in functionally arid environments.
Biology
The ...
), usually do not cause extensive damage to buildings or other man-made structures. As their name implies, they eat wood that is not dried out, perhaps even rotting, and consequently of little use to humans.
Taxonomy
In 2009, the five extant genera from the family Termopsidae ('' Archotermopsis'', '' Hodotermopsis'', '' Porotermes'', '' Stolotermes'', and '' Zootermopsis'') were moved to a newly created family, Archotermopsidae[ (''Zootermopsis'' had previously been treated as part of the family ]Hodotermitidae
The harvester termites (from Greek ὁδός (hodós), travelling; Latin '' termes'', woodworm) are an ancient, Old World family of termites, the Hodotermitidae. They are distinguished by the serrated inner edge of their mandibles, and their func ...
),[ so that the family Termopsidae now includes only fossil taxa: ''Asiatermes'', ''Huaxiatermes'', and ''Mesotermopsis'' (Early Cretaceous of China); ''Cretatermes carpenteri'' (Upper Cretaceous of Labrador); ''Lutetiatermes prisca'' (Upper Cretaceous amber of France); ''Paleotermopsis oligocenicus'' (Upper Oligocene of France); ''Parotermes insignis'' (Oligocene of Colorado); and ''Valditermes'' (incertae sedis).][ The genera ''Porotermes'' and ''Stolotermes'' were later placed into a separate family, ]Stolotermitidae
Stolotermitidae is a family of termites in the order Blattodea
Blattodea is an order of insects that contains cockroaches and termites. Formerly, termites were considered a separate order, Isoptera, but genetic and molecular evidence suggests ...
.[
]
References
Further reading
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
Dampwood Termite Fact Sheet
from the National Pest Management Association with information on habits, habitat and prevention
Potential Impact of Management Alternatives for Dampwood Termites
- California Department of Pesticide Regulation
Termites
Blattodea_families
Taxa named by Michael S. Engel
{{termite-stub