Description of a new species of soil-dwelling termites (Blattodea: Termitidae: Mirocapritermitinae) from the Indian subcontinent

Sengupta, Rituparna; Baraik, Balmohan; K., Rajmohana; Debnath, Rupam; Dinesh, K. P.; Chinu, Ipe

doi:10.48311/jibs.12.03.537

Description of a new species of soil-dwelling termites (Blattodea: Termitidae: Mirocapritermitinae) from the Indian subcontinent

Document Type : Full-length Research Article

Authors

Rituparna Sengupta ¹

Balmohan Baraik ¹

Rajmohana K. ¹

Rupam Debnath ²

K. P. Dinesh ³

Ipe Chinu ⁴

¹ Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal 700053, India

² Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal 700019, India

³ Zoological Survey of India, Western Regional Centre, Akurdi, Pune, Maharashtra, India

⁴ Department of Zoology, Church Missionary Society College, Kerala 686001, India

10.48311/jibs.12.03.537

Abstract

The present study reports a new species, Pseudocapritermes novus Rituparna, Baraik & Rajmohana sp. nov. from West Bengal, India. Species description followed an integrative taxonomic approach by including a mitochondrial 16S rRNA genetic sequence with comprehensive morphological characteristics of the soldier caste. Additionally, the first mt 16S rRNA gene sequence for the recently identified Pseudocapritermes kunjepu Mathew, 2020, is presented in the study. Digital photos of the new species are also included, along with an identification key to the soldier castes of all species of the genus reported from the Indian sub-continent. Association of Pericapritermes semarangi (Holmgren, 1913) with the new species is also recorded in the study.

Graphical Abstract

Description of a new species of soil-dwelling termites (Blattodea: Termitidae: Mirocapritermitinae) from the Indian subcontinent

Keywords

Inquiline

mitochondrial 16S rRNA

molecular phylogeny

Pericapritermes

Pseudocapritermes

Subjects

Taxonomy

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