Soldier mandibular morphology in some species of termites in mango orchards.
Singh S. K., Singh G.
Author Affiliation: Department of Entomology, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, U.S. Nagar - 263 145, India.
Bionotes 4 :99
Abstract : Termite specimens were collected from mango orchards in Upeda (Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh), Rohenda (Bulandshahar, Uttar Pradesh), Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI; New Delhi) and Horticultural Research Centre, Patharchatta (Udham Singh Nagar), India in October 1998 and June 1999. Some specimens were later collected from Kaladungi (Nainital, Uttaranchal) in December 1998. Specimens from Upeda were Odontotermes assmuthi, characterized by tooth on the left mandible placed in the proximal half, wavy inner margin (anterior to tooth) of left mandible and a parrot beak-like apex. O. obesus specimens, from Rohenda and Patharchatta, are characterized by mandibles that are short, slender with weakly curved outer margin, and short and broad labrum. IARI specimens were identified as O. brunneus, characterized by rectangular head capsule with lateral sides almost parallel in the middle, inner margin of left mandible beyond the tooth strongly incurved. Termite specimens from Kaladungi were identified as Microcerotermes beesoni and characterized by: mandibles with coarsely serrated inner margin; weakly hooked apices; labrum not pentagonal; and pronotum with anterior margin indistinctly notched in the middle.