Prorhinotermes Silvestri, 1909

Bourguignon, Thomas & Roisin, Yves, 2011, Revision of the termite family Rhinotermitidae (Isoptera) in New Guinea, ZooKeys 148, pp. 55-103 : 79-80

Genus Prorhinotermes Silvestri, 1909

Prorhinotermes Silvestri 1909: 286.

Type species.

Prorhinotermes inopinatus Silvestri, 1909, by original designation.

Diagnosis.

Imago head oval to circular-shaped, with ocelli located before the well developed eyes. Fontanelle situated in the middle of the head. Antenna with 19 to 22 articles. Pronotum narrower than head. Soldier head variable in shape, often larger posteriorly than anteriorly. Fontanelle narrow, placed at anterior third of the head. Frons with a groove in the middle from opening of fontanelle to clypeus. Eyes present as hyaline spots, more or less developed. Antennae with 13 to 20 articles. Pronotum generally wide. Mandibles elongated, left one with a short marginal tooth at the basis, right one without marginal teeth. Soldiers and workers very variable in size ( Tho 1992).

Distribution.

Prorhinotermes has an insular distribution. It is found in the West Indies, Pacific islands, East Indies and islands of the Indian Ocean including Madagascar. It is not reported from continents excepted in Central America, Southern Florida and Northern Australia ( Emerson 1952, Gay and Barrett 1983, Roisin et al. 2006).