''Trinervitermes'' is a

termite Termites are a group of detritivore, detritophagous Eusociality, eusocial cockroaches which consume a variety of Detritus, decaying plant material, generally in the form of wood, Plant litter, leaf litter, and Humus, soil humus. They are dist ...

genus belonging to family

Termitidae Termitidae is the largest family of termites consisting of 2,125 described species of which are commonly known as the higher termites. They are evolutionarily the most specialised termite group, with their highly compartmentalized hindgut lackin ...

. Members are native to the

Old World The "Old World" () is a term for Afro-Eurasia coined by Europeans after 1493, when they became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia in the Eastern Hemisphere, previously ...

. They inhabit grasslands and store grass in their nests or mounds, just below the ground surface. Their grass-collecting activities are mainly nocturnal. The soldier caste has atrophied mandibles and a fontanelle squirt gun on the frons.

Diterpene Diterpenes are a class of terpenes composed of four isoprene units, often with the molecular formula C20H32. They are biosynthesized by plants, animals and fungi via the HMG-CoA reductase pathway, with geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate being a primary ...

s and

monoterpene Monoterpenes are a class of terpenes that consist of two isoprene units and have the molecular formula C10H16. Monoterpenes may be linear (acyclic) or contain rings (monocyclic and bicyclic). Modified terpenes, such as those containing oxygen func ...

s are released to deter ants and smaller predators, but these are not effective against larger mammalian predators. Due to the

snout A snout is the protruding portion of an animal's face, consisting of its nose, mouth, and jaw. In many animals, the structure is called a muzzle, Rostrum (anatomy), rostrum, beak or proboscis. The wet furless surface around the nostrils of the n ...

on the head of soldiers and their grass-collecting habits, they are known as snouted harvester termites.

Species

Species include: * ''

Trinervitermes biformis ''Trinervitermes biformis'', the snouted harvester termite, is a species of mound building termite in the genus '' Trinervitermes'', native to India and Sri Lanka. The type species was described from the Bandarawela area of Sri Lanka. It is a pes ...

'' (Wasmann, 1902) – India and Sri Lanka * '' Trinervitermes dispar'' (Sjöstedt) – East Africa to South Africa * '' Trinervitermes rapulum'' (Sjöstedt) – East Africa to southern Africa * '' Trinervitermes rhodesiensis '' (Sjöstedt) – East Africa to southern Africa * '' Trinervitermes trinervoides'' (Sjöstedt, 1911) – South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique * '' Trinervitermes rubidus'' (Hagen, 1859) – Sri Lanka

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q16642719 Termite genera Insects of Africa Insects of Asia