Calotermes spoliator Hill, G.F. 1932. Australian termites (Isoptera). Biological notes and descriptions of new species. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria ns 44: 134-154 [136].
Type data: Holotype ANIC No. 9042 soldier, Uriarra, ACT.
Description:
Imago: A small species. Body and wings dark brown. Eyes small; ocelli tiny and almost contiguous with eyes; antennae of 13-14 segments; left mandible with posterior margin of first-plus-second marginal tooth equal in length to anterior margin of third marginal tooth; right mandible with posterior margin of second marginal tooth subequal to molar plate in length. Pronotum clearly wider than head, anterior margin concave, sides rounded and posterior margin widely rounded with central shallow concavity. Forewing densely noduled with all major veins arising independently at wing suture. R branched or unbranched; Rs with 7-8 branches; M obvious but less heavily sclerotised than Rs and running closer to Rs than to Cu; sometimes uniting with Rs to form loops, sometimes a few cross branches between Rs and M in distal third of wing; Cu weak but passing along the wing clearly anterior to the middle. Tibial spurs 3:3:3 and distinctly serrated; arolium present.
Soldier: Head somewhat phragmotic but long, narrow and parallel-sided; antennal carinae large and markedly projecting; frons concave and sloping down sharply to anteclypeus, anterodorsal surface with two large prominences or lobes with an even curve between; antennae of 11-14 segments, the third unmodified and subequal to second; mandibles long and slender, the left with two broad teeth in the proximal half and a small tooth in the distal third, the right with two short, stout teeth in the proximal half, the anterior half very narrow and parallel-sided to near the apex. Pronotum as wide as head, arched transversely; anterior margin raised, deeply and angularly emarginate with a notch in the middle. Legs short and stout, tibial spurs 3:3:3 and distinctly serrated.
- This native species occurs throughout eastern coastal and sub-coastal Australia.
- Colonies are usually small but sometimes large enough to cause severe damage to power poles, forest trees, plantations and commercial timber.
- C. spoliator is found in dead trees, logs and tree stumps but it may also be a pest of dead timber in living trees. Because it can enter the heartwood, its presence can result in the degradation of forest trees and scarring of ornamental species. This termite will attack a number of Eucalyptus species and has also been recorded from Angophora lanceolata.
