The Nasutitermitinae is a near cosmopolitan subfamily of higher termites represented by 81 genera and 605 species.Constantino, R. 2020. Termite Database. Brasília, University of Brasília. [updated April 2024; cited June 3rd 2025]. URL: http://termitologia.net. The highly derived soldier caste exhibits vestigial mandibles and a protruding fontanellar process on the head, known as the nasus, from which they can "shoot" chemical weaponry. Notable genera include the notorious wood-eating Nasutitermes, and the conspicuous Hospitalitermes and Constrictotermes, both distinguished for their brazen habit of forming extensive foraging trails out in the open.
Genera The Termite Catalogue lists the following genera:Termite Catalogue (retrieved 7 July 2019)
Aciculioiditermes Aciculitermes Afrosubulitermes Agnathotermes Ahmaditermes Ampoulitermes Angularitermes Anhangatermes Antillitermes Araujotermes Arcotermes Atlantitermes Australitermes Baucaliotermes Bulbitermes Caetetermes Caribitermes Ceylonitermellus Ceylonitermes Coarctotermes Coatitermes Coendutermes Constrictotermes Convexitermes Cortaritermes Cucurbitermes Cyranotermes Diversitermes Diwaitermes Eleanoritermes Emersonitermes Enetotermes Ereymatermes Eutermellus Fulleritermes Grallatotermes Havilanditermes Hirtitermes Hospitalitermes Kaudernitermes Lacessititermes Leptomyxotermes Leucopitermes Longipeditermes Macrosubulitermes Malagasitermes Malaysiotermes Mimeutermes Mironasutitermes Mycterotermes Nasopilotermes Nasutitermes Ngauratermes Constantino R, Acioli ANS (2009). Ngauratermes arue, new genus and species of nasute termite (Isoptera: Termitidae) from the Amazon. Zootaxa, 2239: 22-30. Abstract & excerpt Niuginitermes Obtusitermes Occasitermes Occultitermes Oriensubulitermes Paraconvexitermes Parvitermes Periaciculitermes Peribulbitermes Postsubulitermes Rhadinotermes Roonwalitermes Rotunditermes Rounditermes Sinonasutitermes Sinqasapatermes Snootitermes Spatulitermes Subulioiditermes Subulitermes Tarditermes Tenuirostritermes Thailanditermes Triangularitermes Trinervitermes Tumulitermes Velocitermes Verrucositermes Xiaitermes
Nasutes
The fontanellar gun is a defense mechanism in the form of a horn-like frontal projection (nasus) on the head of a specialized nasute soldier caste which is capable of expelling chemical weaponry at a distance, a trait exclusive to the subfamily Nasutitermitinae. It is primarily used to ward off predators such as ants.
References
External links Tree of Life (TolWeb)