Microcerotermes Silvestri, 1901

Sengupta, Rituparna & Rajmohana, K., 2020, Three new records of Microcerotermes Silvestri (Blattodea: Isoptera: Termitidae) from West Bengal, India, Records of the Zoological Survey of India 120 (3), pp. 263-266 : 263-264

Genus Microcerotermes Silvestri, 1901

1. Microcerotermes annandalei Silvestri, 1923

1923. Microcerotermes annandalei Silvestri, Rec. Indian Museum, 25 (2): 221–232.

Material examined: 4 Soldiers, 8 Workers (ZSI/4910/H11), India: West Bengal: Jalpaiguri: Lataguri (26.73675°N,

88.77123°E), 31.v.2019, Extracted from: Epigeal carton nest; 5 Imagoes, 4 Soldiers, 5 Workers (ZSI/4911/H11), India: West Bengal: Jalpaiguri: Lataguri (26.73675°N,

88.77123°E), 31.v.2019, Extracted from: Epigeal carton nest.

Diagnosis: Soldier ( Table 1 and Figure 1A ): Head yellow to brown, antennae 13 segmented; uniformly yellowish; segment three shortest, mandibles dark reddish, short and stout with coarse serration in each. Labrum subsquarish; yellowish in colour. Body creamy white. Fontanelle very small; situated at about anterior third of head.Postmentum club-shaped with slender and elongated waist. Pronotum saddle-shaped; anterior margin with distinct deep notch; posterior margin substraight.

Worker ( Table 2): Head capsule pale yellow. Fontanelle indistinct. Antennae 13 segmented; third segment shortest. Postclypeus swollen. Pronotum saddle-shaped; median deep notch in anterior portion; posterior margin weakly emerginate. Body creamy yellow.

Imago ( Table 3): Head capsule, abdominal tergites castaneous brown. Postclypeus pale yellow. Legs and abdominal tergites yellowish. Head and body densely hairy. Epicranial suture distinct. Fontanelle at middle. Eyes subcircular. Ocelli oval. Antennae 14 segmented; segment three shortest. Postclypeus gently swollen. Pronotum trapezoid like.

Distribution: India: Bihar, Haryana, Nagaland, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tripura ( Krishna et al. 2013), and West Bengal (present study).

Remarks: It is reported as a minor pest species in India ( Shanbhag & Sundararaj, 2013; Krishna et al., 2013).

Figures

Figure 1. A. Microcerotermes annandalei Silvestri (Soldier); B. Microcerotermes fletcheri Holmgren & Holmgren (Soldier); and C. Microcerotermes pakistanicus Akhtar (Soldier).