Annals of the Entomological Society of America (2003) 96, 181-201

Rudolf H. Scheffrahn, Susan C. Jones, Jan Krecek, James A. Chase, John R. Mangold and Nan-Yao Su (2003)
Taxonomy, distribution, and notes on the termites (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae, Rhinotermitidae, Termitidae) of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
Annals of the Entomological Society of America 96 (3), 181-201
Abstract: Termite surveys from Buck, Culebra, Mona, Puerto Rico, St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas, and Vieques islands yielded 1,564 colony samples from 274 sites. Twenty-one species were recorded including: Cryptotermes brevis, Cryptotermes havilandi, Cryptotermes rotundiceps, Cryptotermes undulans, Glyptotermes liberatus, Glyptotermes pubescens, Incisitermes bequaerti, Incisitermes furvus, Incisitermes incisus, Neotermes intracaulis n. sp., Neotermes mona, and Procryptotermes corniceps (Kalotermitidae); Coptotermes havilandi, Heterotermes sp., and Prorhinotermes simplex (Rhinotermitidae); and Anoplotermes n. sp. undescribed, Caribitermes discolor, Nasutitermes acajutlae, Nasutitermes costalis, Parvitermes wolcotti, and Termes hispaniolae (Termitidae). Of these, twelve are West Indian endemics, six have endemic ranges that include the tropical American mainland, and three are nonendemic pests. Distribution maps and keys based on the soldier caste and the winged imago are provided. Neotermes intracaulis, a new species from St. Croix, is described from the imago and soldier. Additional descriptions or redescriptions are given for G. liberatus (imago), I. incisus (imago and soldier), Ca. discolor (imago and soldier), and Pa. wolcotti (imago). An understanding of West Indian termite biogeography relies on current faunal distributions and the few fossil termites available from Hispaniola. Over-water dispersal of termites on flotsam is the most plausible mechanism for contemporary distributions, however, vicariate speciation cannot be discounted for species that are poor dispersalists. Faunal composition of Puerto Rican and the Virgin Islands termites suggest a biogeographical origin that is derived from both western and southern mainland sources.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Nan-Yao Su, Susan C. Jones

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
identification/taxonomy
surveys/sampling/distribution

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Incisitermes (genus)		Puerto Rico
	Cryptotermes brevis		Puerto Rico
	Heterotermes (genus)		Puerto Rico
	Nasutitermes (genus)		Puerto Rico
	Neotermes (genus)		Puerto Rico
	Coptotermes havilandi		Puerto Rico
	Nasutitermes corniger		Puerto Rico
	Cryptotermes (genus)		Puerto Rico
	Glyptotermes (genus)		Puerto Rico