Biology:Mastotermitidae

Short description: Family of termites

Mastotermitidae Temporal range: Hauterivian–Holocene, 129.4–0 Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Mastotermes darwiniensis
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Blattodea
Infraorder:	Isoptera
Family:	Mastotermitidae Desneux 1904
Genera
See text

Mastotermitidae is a family of termites with one sole living species, Mastotermes darwiniensis which is found only in northern Australia. The remaining genera of this family are only known from the fossil record.

Genera

Numerous fossil taxa have been described in the Mastotermitidae, as well as in the genus Mastotermes. The family seems to have had a worldwide distribution until just a few million years ago, when all but the ancestors of the giant northern termite became extinct for unknown reasons.

Genera included in the Mastotermitidae are:

1. †Anisotermes Zhao et al Burmese amber, Myanmar, Cenomanian
2. †Blattotermes Riek (Eocene-Oligocene of France, USA, and Australia)
3. †Garmitermes Engel, Grimaldi, & Krishna Baltic amber, Eocene
4. †Idanotermes Engel Baltic amber, Eocene
5. †Khanitermes Engel, Grimaldi, & Krishna Shar-Tolgoy Formation, Dzun-Bain Formation, Mongolia, Aptian
6. Mastotermes Froggatt (Cretaceous-Recent of Europe, Central America and Australia)
7. †Miotermes Rosen (Miocene of Croatia, Germany, and France)
8. †Spargotermes Emerson (Miocene-Pliocene of Brazil)
9. †Valditermes Jarzembowski Weald Clay, United Kingdom, Hauterivian

References

Wikidata ☰ Q11988630 entry