Evolution and Phylogeny
The first fossil records of termites date back to the Cretaceous period, 130mya (Heinrich 2009). Only recently were they classified under the infraorder Isoptera, belonging to the order of Blattodea. Due to similarities in morphology, it is accepted that cockroaches (Blattodea) and mantids (Mantodea) are the closest relatives of termities under the super order Dictyoptera, and recent DNA evidence indicating primitive termites are the descendent of Crptocercus, or wood-eating roaches (Lo et al. 2003). Crptocercus displays social behaviour such as caring for young, similar to what is displayed in eusocial insects like termites. Furthermore, endosymbiotic bacteria from both insects possess the closest phylogenetic similarities over other cockroaches.
Pictured Left: Cryptocercus or wood roach, the closest related cockroach to the termite.
Pictured Right: Mastotermes darwiniensis or giant northern termite, the most primitive living termite and possible descendant of Cryptocercus.
Pictured Right: Mastotermes darwiniensis or giant northern termite, the most primitive living termite and possible descendant of Cryptocercus.