Abstract
The genus Ceylonitermes Holmgren, 1912 represented merely by two species, is endemic to Oriental region. New species of Ceylonitermes, Ceylonitermes paulosus sp. nov. (Blattodea: Isoptera: Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae) is described from Kerala, India, based on the characters of soldiers and workers. Morphological measurements of soldiers and workers were given with suitable illustrations. A revised key of the Ceylonitermes was given for better identification.
Key words: Ceylonitermes; Kerala; New species; Nasutitermitinae
References
Ahmad M. 1950. The phylogeny of termite genera based on imago-worker mandibles. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 95(2): 37–86.
Chhotani O. B. 1997. The fauna of India and the adjacent countries. Isoptera (Termites): (family Termitidae). Zoological Survey of India, Calcutta, 2, 692–800.
Gathorne-Hardy F. 2001. A review of South-East Asian Nasutitermitinae (Isoptera:Termitidae), with descriptions of one genus and a new species and including a new key to the genera. Journal of Natural History 35: 1485–1506.
https://doi.org/10.1080/002229301317067647
Hare L. 1937. Termite phylogeny as evidenced by soldier mandible development. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 37(3): 459–486.
https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/30.3.459
Heer O. 1849. Fauna v. Radoboj. In: W. Haidinger, Versammlungam 5. Janner: 86–88. Berichteuber die Mittheilungen von Freundender Naturwissenschaften in Wien 5(1): 85–91.
Hemachandra J. P., Edirisinghe W. A., Inoka P., Karunaratne C. V., Savithri G. & Fernand R. H. S. 2014. Diversity and distribution of termite assemblages in montane forests in the Knuckles region, Srilanka. International journal of Tropical Insect science 34(1): 41–52.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S174275841300043X
Holmgren N. 1911. Ceylon-Termiten, gesammelt von Prof. K. Escherich, nebsteiner synoptischen Ubersichtuberallebisjetzt von Ceylon und demangrenzenden Festlandbekannten Termitenarten. In: K. Escherich, Termitenleben auf Ceylon. Neue Studienzur Soziologie der Tierezubleiche in Kapitelkolonialer Forstentomologie. Miteinem systematischenAnhangmit Beitragen von A. Forel, Nils Holmgren, W. Michaelsen, F. Schimmer, F. Silvestri und E. Wasmann: 183–212 + 2 pls. Jena, Germany: Gustav Fischer, xxxii + 263 pp. + 3 pls.
https://doi.org/10.1002/mmnd.48019110224
Holmgren N. 1912. Termitenstudien. 3. Systematik der Termiten. Die Familie Metatermitidae. Kungliga Svenska Vetenskaps-Akademiens Handlingar 48(4): 1–166 + 4 pls.
Krishna K., David A. G., Valerie K. & Michael S. E. 2013. Treatise on the Isoptera of the world. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 2704 pp.
Latreille P. A. 1802. Histoire naturelle, generaleet particuliere des crustaceset des insects, F. Dufart, 3, xii + 467 + [1] pp.
Pearce M. J. & Waite B. S. 1994. A list of termite genera (Isoptera) with comments on taxonomic changes and regional distribution. Sociobiology 23: 247–263.
Roonwal M. L. & Chhotani O. B. 1989. The Fauna of India and the Adjacent Countries, Isoptera Termites, Zoological Survey of India, Calcutta, I, 671 pp.
Sands W. A. 1998. The identification of worker castes of termite genera from soils of Africa and the Middle East.Bulletin of Entomological Research 89: 285–286.
Sen-Sarma P. K. 1968. Phylogenetic relationship of the termite genera of the subfamily Nasutitermitinae (Isoptera: Termitidae). Oriental Insects 2: 1–34.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00305316.1968.10433868
Sen-Sarma P. K. & Verma S. C. 1984. A review of the Nasutitermitinae (Isoptera: Termitidae) from India. Oriental Insects 17: 79–108.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00305316.1983.10433692
Thakur M. L. 1976. First record of occurrence of termite genus Ceylonitermes Holmgren, from India, with a new species from Kerala (Isoptera: Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae), Journal of the Timber Development Association of India 22(2): 15–17 + 2 pls.