Termite
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| Termite Fossil range: Late Triassic - Recent |
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 Formosan subterranean termite soldiers (red colored heads) and workers (pale colored heads).
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Mastotermitidae |
Termites are a group of social insects. They are sometimes incorrectly called "white ants". Usually they are classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera . As truly social animals, they are termed eusocial along with the ants and some bees and wasps. Termites mostly feed on dead plant material, mostly wood, leaf litter, soil, or animal dung. About 10% of the estimated 4,000 species (about 2,600 taxonomically known) are economically significant as pests that can cause serious structural damage to buildings, crops or plantation forests. Termites are major detrivores, particularly in the subtropical and tropical regions. Their recycling of wood and other plant matter is very important for ecology.
As eusocial insects, termites live in colonies that, at maturity, number from several hundred to several million individuals. They are a prime example of decentralised, self-organised systems using swarm intelligence and use this cooperation to exploit food sources and environments that could not be available to any single insect acting alone. A typical colony contains nymphs (semi-mature young), workers, soldiers, and reproductive individuals of both genders, sometimes containing several egg-laying queens.
