Scientists exploring the canopy of a South American rainforest have discovered an unusual new termite species with a strikingly elongated head that resembles a sperm whale. Credit: Rudolph Scheffrahn

A newly identified termite species with a whale-like head reveals unexpected diversity within the Cryptotermes genus.

In the canopies of a South American rainforest, a tiny soldier termite has stunned a team of international scientists with its whale-like features.

Cryptotermes mobydicki, the name given to the termite by the international research team — led by a University of Florida scientist — boasts features of an elongated head and hidden mandibles. It resembles the iconic sperm whale from Herman Melville’s classic novel — hence its name.

“This termite is unlike anything we’ve ever seen,” said Rudolf Scheffrahn, professor of entomology at the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS).

A whale-like termite discovered

The specimen was so distinctive that the team of international entomologists thought it was looking at specimens of an entirely new genus, said Scheffrahn, whose taxonomic research is based at the UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center.

These slides show views of the termite soldier’s frontal prominence and elongated head resembling the head of a sperm whale, and how in both the whale and termite, the mandibles are eclipsed by the head. Credit: Rudolph Scheffrahn

“The lateral view of the soldier’s frontal prominence and elongated head resembles the head of a sperm whale, and in both organisms, the mandibles are eclipsed by the head,” he said. “The whale’s eye and soldier’s antennal socket are comparatively positioned. After I noticed the resemblance to a sperm whale, my coauthors thought the name to be appropriate and whimsical, much like ‘ghost orchid’ or ‘Dumbo octopus.’”

A new species expands the genus

The discovery adds a 16th species to the South American roster of Cryptotermes termites. A genetic family tree analysis shows that Cryptotermes mobydicki is closely related to other neotropical species found in Colombia, Trinidad, and the Dominican Republic, giving scientists a new clue into the evolutionary story of this globally distributed genus.

Researchers found the colony in a dead, standing tree about eight meters off the forest floor. It’s unusual anatomy highlights the diversity of termite evolution and the surprises still waiting in tropical ecosystems.

Biodiversity still largely undiscovered

“The discovery of this distinctive new termite species underscores the vast number of unnamed organisms yet to be discovered on our planet,” said Scheffrahn.

To scientists, discovery is also a win for biodiversity. Every new species discovered adds to scientific understanding of life on earth, especially in a group as small as termites, with only about 3,000 species worldwide.

Harmless species limited to the rainforest

There is also good news for Florida property owners. As a newly described drywood termite species, Cryptotermes mobydicki is no threat to homes or trade. Unlike other invasive termites that cause costly damage in parts of the southeastern United States, this species is found only in its rainforest habitat and does not spread beyond it.

Reference: “Cryptotermes mobydicki (Isoptera, Kalotermitidae), an extraordinary new termite species from French Guiana” by Rudolf H. Scheffrahn, Aleš Buček, David Sillam-Dussès and Jan Šobotník, 6 November 2025, ZooKeys.
DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1258.166021

JŠ was supported by the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, project No. 20253134.

Never miss a breakthrough: Join the SciTechDaily newsletter.
Follow us on Google and Google News.