Procapritermes setiger

This species of Procapritermes has long almost straight mandibles that resembles that of Termes comis and Termes fatalis. They have the longest mandibles in proportion to their body of the Procapritermes genus. Their head is long and narrow very similar to Pericapritermes.

Procapritermes setiger 

The soldier of Procapritermes setiger is between 6 to 6.5mm due to its extra long mandibles. The head like those Pericapritermes soldiers is long and narrow. The soldiers of this Procapritermes setiger species (ssp2 in this blog) has its mandibles crossed when in pre deployed or post strike mode typical of Procapritermes. The first species listed after this one without close examination looks exactly identical to this second species. However there is a slight difference in the mandibles such that they are reversed. The first species utilized a cross strike whereas this second species deployed an opened strike.

Procapritermes setiger subspecies 2 with reproductive nymph (larva) and workers.

Soldier of Procapritermes setiger subspecies 2 showing the mandible crossed with the right mandible over the left when they are at rest or pre-strike position.

Notice that the mandibles of this  Procapritermes setiger  (variant) are crossed when at rest unlike the species first documented by this author. That means the attacking strike is a reversed mandible strike or an open flick similar to Procapritermes.

Here you can see the right mandible is actually crossed over the top of the left. When this  Procapritermes setiger soldier strike the mandibles become opened instead of crossed. So the post strike position of the mandibles is opened. This strike method is similar to those employed by Procapritermes soldiers which can be visualized by us using our thumb and middle (or index) finger to flick.

Procapritermes setiger

This species looks almost identical to the one above. One notable difference is the pre-strike position of the mandibles are not crossed. Both left and right mandibles lie side by side in the pre-strike state. The post strike position of the mandibles are crossed. After striking the soldier of this  Procapritermes setiger becomes immobilised and a clear liquid is secreted.

Procapritermes setiger soldier. This mandibles of this species are not crossed in the rest state or pre-strike state. The post strike state of the mandibles are crossed similar to that of Pericapritermes.

Here the mandibles of this  Procapritermes setiger subspecies when at rest are not crossed over.

See also:
Procapritermes genus
Procapritermes sp2

Taxonomy
No rank: cellular organisms
Superkingdom (Domain): Eukaryota
No rank: Opisthokonta
Kingdom: Metazoa
No rank: Eumetazoa
No rank (Subkingdom): Bilateria
No rank (Branch): Protostomia
No rank (Infrakingdom): Ecdysozoa
No rank (Superphylum): Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
No rank (Subphylum): Mandibulata
No rank: Pancrustacea
Subphylum (Epiclass): Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
No rank (Subclass): Dicondylia
Subclass (Infraclass): Pterygota
Infraclass: Neoptera
No rank: Polyneoptera
No rank (Superorder): Dictyoptera
Order: Blattodea
Superfamily: Blattoidea
No rank: Termitiodea 1912919

Family: Termitidae 46569

Subfamily: Termitinae 92738

Group: Pericapritermes 1934616

Genus: Procapritermes 187580

Species: Setiger

Updated: 2021 07 23
Posted: 2011 08 21
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