A Redescription of Pericapritermes ceylonicus (Holmgren, 1911) (Blattodea, Isoptera, Termitidae) and First Record from India

Abstract

Until now, the occurrence of Pericapritermes ceylonicus (Holmgren) was not confirmed in the Indian mainland. Here, we document the occurrence of this species from Karnataka state constituting its first report from India. The species was identified based on the soldier caste, and the worker characters were described for the first time, including the digestive tube and enteric valve armature. The enteric valve was characterized by the presence of gradually reducing triangular spines. The study provides the basis for further taxonomic characterization of Pericapritermes occurring in India using gut morphology of workers.

Keywords

• Enteric valve
• Gut morphology
• Karnataka
• Redescription
• Soldier