Australian Biological Resources Study

Australian Faunal Directory

Species Amitermes heterognathus (Silvestri, 1909)

Museums

Regional Maps

Species Amitermes heterognathus (Silvestri, 1909)

  • Hamitermes heterognathus Silvestri, F. 1909. Isoptera. 279-314 pls xvi-xxi in Michaelsen, W. & Hartmeyer, R. (eds). Die Fauna Südwest-Australiens. Vol. 2. Jena : Fischer [301] [Silvestri did not indicate how many specimens he had before him, nor did he designate types. Weidner, H. 1955. Die Typen der Isoptera-Sammlung des Zoologischen Staatsinstituts und Zoologischen Museums Hamburg. Insectes Sociaux 2: 247–254 [249] mentioned 'Hamitermes (?) heterognathus, Sold.', which could be singular or plural, among the termite types in ZMH, and 'Auf dem Determinationszettel als "Type" bezeichnet' (actually 'Typus'). This cannot be interpreted as an unambiguous lectotype designation. Gay, F.J. 1968. A contribution to the systematics of the genus Amitermes (Isoptera: Termitidae) in Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology 16: 405–457 [427] mentioned the 'type (=holotype) soldier' in ZMH, which constitutes the lectotype designation].
    Type data:
     Lectotype ZMH soldier, Daydawn (as Day Dawn), WA (the label with the type indicates Serpentine as the type locality; the known distribution of this species also suggests that Daydawn may be incorrect).
    Subsequent designation references:
    Gay, F.J. 1968. A contribution to the systematics of the genus Amitermes (Isoptera: Termitidae) in Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology 16: 405-457 [427].
    Type locality references:
    Weidner, H. 1955. Die Typen der Isoptera-Sammlung des Zoologischen Staatsinstituts und Zoologischen Museums Hamburg. Insectes Sociaux 2: 247-254 [249].

 

Distribution

Note that conversion of the original AFD map of states, drainage basins and coastal and oceanic zones to IBRA and IMCRA regions may have produced errors. The new maps will be reviewed and corrected as updates occur. The maps may not indicate the entire distribution. See further details below.
IBRA and IMCRA regions (map not available)
drainage basins and coastal and oceanic zones (map not available)

IBRA

WA: Avon Wheatbelt (AW), Carnarvon (CAR), Coolgardie (COO), Central Ranges (CR), Dampierland (DL), Esperance Plains (ESP), Gascoyne (GAS), Gibson Desert (GD), Geraldton Sandplains (GS), Great Sandy Desert (GSD), Great Victoria Desert (GVD), Hampton (HAM), Jarrah Forest (JF), Little Sandy Desert (LSD), Mallee (MAL), Murchison (MUR), Nullarbor (NUL), Pilbara (PIL), Swan Coastal Plain (SWA), Tanami (TAN), Warren (WAR), Yalgoo (YAL)

Original AFD Distribution Data

Australian Region

  • Australia
    • Western Australia: NW coastal, SW coastal, W plateau

Ecological Descriptors

Soil, terrestrial.

Extra Ecological Information

Social, nest unknown, apparently subterranean, diet primarily weathered wood, also plant detritus, dry dung.

 

General References

Gay, F.J. 1968. A contribution to the systematics of the genus Amitermes (Isoptera: Termitidae) in Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology 16: 405-457 [426] (biology)

Perry, D.H., Watson, J.A.L., Bunn, S.E. & Black, R. 1985. Guide to the termites (Isoptera) from the extreme south-west of Western Australia. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 67: 66-78 [74] (biology)

Watson, J.A.L. & Abbey, H.M. 1993. Atlas of Australian Termites. Melbourne & Canberra : Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation 158 pp. [60] (distribution)