Abstract Termites are estimated to have originated in the Late Jurassic with an evolutionary radiation in the Early Cretaceous. This rapidly evolved eusocial group, having close associations with the ecological communities and surrounding environments, established delicate microecosystems in the Cretaceous terrestrial ecosystems. Cretaceous amber with well-preserved clues of natural history provide a “time portal” for paleoentomologists to study the ecosystems in this geological age. Herein, we review the termites and related inclusions reported from Cretaceous amber. Studies on fossil termites have been active in the last two decades with the discoveries of diverse taxa, early eusociality, feeding habits, termitophiles, etc. Termite interactions have been demonstrated by either co-embedded specimens or specialized morphologies known from the extant evidence. The termites and associated communities in Cretaceous amber are significant for us to understand the termites’ early evolution, ecology and eusociality that had complicated interactions in their nests.

中文翻译：

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白垩纪琥珀中的白蚁群落及其早期演化和生态

摘要 估计白蚁起源于晚侏罗世，在早白垩世演化辐射。这个快速进化的真社会群体与生态群落和周围环境有着密切的联系，在白垩纪陆地生态系统中建立了微妙的微生态系统。保存完好的自然历史线索的白垩纪琥珀为古昆虫学家研究这个地质时代的生态系统提供了一个“时间门户”。在此，我们回顾了白垩纪琥珀中报道的白蚁和相关包裹体。在过去的 20 年中，随着对不同分类群、早期真社会性、摄食习惯、嗜白蚁等的发现，对化石白蚁的研究一直很活跃。白蚁相互作用已通过共嵌入标本或现有证据已知的特殊形态得到证实。白垩纪琥珀中的白蚁和相关群落对于我们了解白蚁早期进化、生态和真社会性具有重要意义，这些白蚁在其巢穴中具有复杂的相互作用。