University of Cape Town researchers have named a newly identified termite trace fossil Columnanidus calitzdorpensis, honoring Calitzdorp, the Little Karoo town near the site where the fossils were found. The approximately 400,000-year-old structures are fossilized underground nests built by an extinct termite species.
The study, published in the Journal of Quaternary Science, was led by Miengah Abrahams of UCT’s Department of Geological Sciences, with contributions from researchers at institutions in South Africa, Argentina and Australia. Eight well-preserved examples have been identified at a single Calitzdorp site.
The fossils consist of distinctive cylindrical structures extending about one meter underground and measuring roughly 65 centimeters across. Each contains a central cavity surrounded by a thick wall filled with galleries and chambers. Computerized tomography scans enabled the researchers to examine these internal features in greater detail.
The structures were initially discovered by a local artist in the early 2000s and were thought to be possible remnants of ovens used by early human inhabitants. One example is now held by the Calitzdorp Museum. Scientific research began in 2021 after the features were revisited by UCT researchers and specialists involved in an earlier paleontological assessment.
Uranium-series dating places the nests between 323,000 and 401,000 years old, during the Middle Pleistocene. They survived because termite activity promoted the accumulation of calcium carbonate in the sand used to construct the nests. This process, known as calcretization, hardened and fossilized the structures after the insects and other organic material had disappeared.
Abrahams said the fossils represent a new ichnogenus and ichnospecies because of their cylindrical form and the distinctive arrangement of burrows and chambers in the nest walls. Ichnology examines trace fossils, including preserved burrows, nests and footprints, rather than the fossilized bodies of the organisms that produced them.
The nests provide information about the construction abilities of ancient termites and offer evidence about past ecosystems, landscapes and animal behavior. In October 2026, the research team donated a poster about the discovery to the Calitzdorp Museum, aiming to help local visitors connect with the fossil heritage of the area.
Researchers plan to investigate similar fossilized termite and ant nests in South Africa’s Northern Cape and near Western Cape towns including Ceres and Worcester.
Sources: Phys.org.