Rare termites - Profastigitermes putnami

[ItalianTermiteMan]

Here we have a pair of nice pics of Profastigitermes putnami, a very rare species of soil-feeding Cubitermitinae from humid central Africa. Both these photos were taken by Dr. Jan Sobotnik during a Termite Research Team expedition in Camerun and are (as far as i know) the only two publicly available pics of living specimens of this species.

Of course almost nothing is known about this elusive genus, but i can say that i find their soldiers to be quite elegant! Note how their head is frontally truncated and ridged to grant better protection from that side, and sports a quite prominent hair-rimmed hole (called the fontanelle) from which a defensive chemical fluid is presumably exuded. The mandibles are very large and elongated, and as is the norm in Cubitermitinae are purely specialized for cutting.



The soldier of Profastigitermes putmani; note its impressive mandibles, truncated head and hairy fontanelle.



P. putmani soldier surrounded by workers. Note how the soil-filled guts of the latters are well-visible through their very thin abdomens.

 

[viper69]

Large jaws!

what makes them rare?

 

[ItalianTermiteMan]

Large jaws!

what makes them rare?

As far as i know, they've been found only in very few occasions.

 

[viper69]

As far as i know, they've been found only in very few occasions.

Small geographic area, or hard to find?

 

[ItalianTermiteMan]

Small geographic area, or hard to find?

Hard to find due to low number of colonies most likely, but little is known about them.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Hard to find due to low number of colonies most likely, but little is known about them.

Ahh I see so only termite experts would even have a clue it’s a different species because they’re super rare. Real shame if they got mistaken for a pest species but that’s ignorance for you. They don’t attack homes so I doubt people would use pesticides on them. Another great species and information!!!