Morphology of the worker digestive tube of the soil-feeding nasute termites (Isoptera, Termitidae, Nasutitermitinae ) from the neotropical region

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Abstract
The morphology of the parts and the configuration in situ of the worker digestibe tube of the 8 soilfeeding genera with nasute solidiers from the Neotropical Region are studied. All genera showed a reduced or incomplete gizzard armature, a tubular first proctodeal segment terminating in the left half of the abdomen, an enteric valve armature with trilateral symmetry and often with strong spines, a paunch of two large sections separated by a constriction, and a long colon. In addition, a mixed segment at the mesenteron-proctodeal junction is absent in Convexitermes, Atlantitermes, Araujotermes, Coatitermes, Subulitermes and Agnathotermes, and present in Cyranotermes and Angularitermes, the latter having also a gizzard armature stronger than usual in the soilfeeding nasutes. The coiling of the gut and the morphology of some gut parts provide a good means for the identification of undissected workers of all genera