A call to termitologists: it is time to abandon the use of ’lower’ and ’higher’ termites

0575511 - BC 2024 RIV CH eng J - Journal Article
Carrijo, T. F. - Engel, M. S. - Chouvenc, T. - Gile, G. H. - Mikaelyan, A. - Dedeine, F. - Ware, J. L. - Haifig, I. - Arab, A. - Constantini, J. P. - Souza, J. P. - Lee, S. B. - Buček, Aleš - Roisin, Y. - Cancello, E. M. - Santos, C. M. D.
A call to termitologists: it is time to abandon the use of ’lower’ and ’higher’ termites.
Insectes Sociaux. Roč. 70 (2023), s. 295-299. ISSN 0020-1812. E-ISSN 1420-9098
Institutional support: RVO:60077344
Keywords : termites * evolution * commentary
OECD category: Entomology
Impact factor: 1.3, year: 2022
Method of publishing: Limited access
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00040-023-00929-0

This commentary paper addresses the outdated and misleading terminology used to categorize termites into ’higher’ and ’lower’. These terms perpetuate a linear progression view of evolution, which is both inaccurate and detrimental to our understanding of the diversity of life. We trace the historical origins of these terms and highlight their flawed interpretation of evolutionary relationships. We advocate for the adoption of Termitidae (or termitid), rather than ’higher termites’. As for the paraphyletic group of ’lower termites’, we recommend refraining from grouping them together, unless specifically referring to their symbionts. In such cases, we propose ’protist-dependent termites’ or ’non-Termitidae termites’.
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0349958