Termites (Isoptera) fauna in Western Ghats, India Vidyashree AS*, Kalleshwaraswamy CM, Shanarabasappa Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Shivamogga, 577225, Karnataka, India *Email for correspondence: asvidyashree@gmail.com
Online published on 21 August, 2018. Abstract The present investigations were conducted to study the diversity of termites in Western Ghats of India. The collection of termites was carried out during September 2013 to May 2016. Results revealed that termite fauna of Western Ghats comprised 42 species belonging to 13 genera and six sub-families under two families. Among the two families Termitidae and Rhinotermitidae contributed 97.99 and 2.01 per cent respectively. Rhinotermitidae was represented by two sub-families viz Coptotermitinae and Heterotermitinae. In total collection Termitidae was the most dominant family which represented 37 species in 11 genera belonging to four sub-families viz Amitermitinae, Macrotermitinae, Nasutitermitinae and Termitinae. Among the sub-families highest number of species (18) was observed in Macrotermitinae followed by seven species in Nasutitermitinae and six species each in Termitinae and Amitermitinae. Top Keywords Termites, Western Ghats, fauna, families, sub-families. Top |