Lacteus Termite vs Protermes Inquiline Termite
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Lacteus Termite | Protermes Inquiline Termite |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Coptotermes lacteus | Protermes prorepens |
| Order | Blattodea | Blattodea |
| Family | Rhinotermitidae | Termitidae |
| Size | 4-6 mm | 2-4 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Woodlands |
| Diet | Wood Feeders | Fungus Feeders |
| Regions | Eastern Australia | East Africa, Southern Africa |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Lacteus Termite
An Australian mound-building termite that constructs distinctive dark, hard-walled mounds up to 2 meters tall. The mounds are a common sight in pastures and open woodland across eastern Australia. Workers are pale and soft-bodied with gut protozoa for cellulose digestion.
Did You Know?
Their mounds are so durable that they persist for decades after the colony dies and are sometimes used as road-building material in rural Australia.
Protermes Inquiline Termite
A small inquiline termite that lives within the mounds of larger fungus-growing termite species in Africa. Colonies are tiny and discrete, occupying small chambers within the walls of the host mound. Workers feed on fungal material.
Did You Know?
Inquiline termites like this species are the cuckoos of the termite world, sneaking into other species' elaborate mounds to exploit their resources.