Journal of Threatened Taxa |
www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 August 2022 | 14(8): 21715–21719
ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893
(Print)
https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.7776.14.8.21715-21719
#7776 | Received 07 December 2021 | Final
received 15 July 2022 | Finally accepted 02 August 2022
Eremotermes neoparadoxalis Ahmad, 1955 (Isoptera: Termitidae: Amitermitinae) a new record from Haryana, India
Bhanupriya 1, Nidhi Kakkar 2 &
Sanjeev Kumar Gupta 3
1,2,3 Department of
Zoology, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, Haryana 136119, India.
1 bhanupriya46914@gmail.com
(corresponding author), 2 nidhikakkar12@yahoo.com, 3 skgupta@kuk.ac.in
Editor: V.P. Uniyal, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, India. Date of publication: 26 August
2022 (online & print)
Citation: Bhanupriya,
N. Kakkar. & S.K. Gupta (2022). Eremotermes neoparadoxalis
Ahmad, 1955 (Isoptera: Termitidae: Amitermitinae) a new
record from Haryana, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 14(8): 21715–21719. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.7776.14.8.21715-21719
Copyright: © Bhanupriya et al. 2022. Creative Commons
Attribution 4.0 International License. JoTT allows unrestricted use, reproduction, and
distribution of this article in any medium by providing adequate credit to the
author(s) and the source of publication.
Funding: UGC-CSIR JRF.
Competing interests: The authors
declare no competing interests.
Acknowledgements: The authors are
grateful to Biotechnology Department, Institute of Integrated & Honors Studies (IIHS), Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra,
for providing space and equipment to carry out the research work. The first
author is highly indebted to University Grants Commission (UGC) for granting
the financial support under the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) scheme.
Abstract: We report a new
record of Eremotermes neoparadoxalis
from Haryana, India. Eremotermes Silvestri,
1911 is a highly dispersed genus epitomized by 10 species, six of which have
been reported in India, including E. paradoxalis
in Harayana. Taxonomic descriptions provided with
illustrations of general morphology and measurements of body length, head
length with and without mandibles, body pigmentation, antennae segments, tibial
spur, tarsal segments, head width, and body width. These keys along with
photographs are prepared for both soldier and worker castes of E. neoparadoxalis.
Keywords: Antennae segments, blattaria, caste, morphological characters, phenotypic
characters, pronotum, tarsal segment, tibial spur, termite.
Termites (Order: Blattaria; Infraorder: Isoptera)
are highly useful insects in many ecosystems (Engel et al. 2009; Pranesh & Harini 2015; Effowe et al. 2021), where they consume cellulose-rich
plant matter and facilitate recycling of waste products (Wood & Sands
1978). They also support the growth of forests and microbes while constructing
their mounds (Lee & Wood 1971; Eggleton et al.
2002; Davies et al. 2014). Eremotermes
(subfamily Amitermitinae) are found in many
localities worldwide (Oriental, Ethiopian and Palaearctic zoogeographical
regions), and in India they are known from the Oriental Region (Krishna et al.
2013). Ten species of Eremotermes are reported globally, of which six
occur in India: dehraduni, fletcheri,
madrasicus, neoparadoxalis,
paradoxalis, and sanyuktae,
while three occur in southern India: paradoxalis,
madrasicus, and fletchreri
(Chhotani 1997; Ranjith & Kalleshwaraswamy
2021), five in Gujarat and Rajasthan: dehraduni,
fletcheri, neoparadoxalis,
paradoxalis, and sanyuktae
(Rathore & Bhattacharyya 2004), and only paradoxalis
from Haryana (Poonia 2019). The present report
deals with Eremotermes neoparadoxalis
as a new record trapped from dung cake in Palwal (Hodal),
Haryana.
Methods
Surveys were
conducted throughout southern Haryana, where most vegetation is in agricultural
lands and Acacia forest. The sample of E. neoparadoxalis
was collected from Hodal (Palwal), Haryana, India in
July 2020. The area of sample collection is 27.40 °N & 77.36 °E (Figure 1;
Image 1). Around 50 individuals of the soldier and worker castes were collected
from a dung cake with the help of forceps, and preserved in 70% ethanol (Gupta
& Kakkar 2015). For the taxonomic description
photographs were captured using an Olympus CX41 microscope and Olympus Camedia C-7070 wide zoom digital camera. Termite
characterization was done using taxonomic keys (Chhotani
1997; Rathore & Bhattacharyya 2004; Mahapatro et
al. 2018) (Table 1).
Phenotypic characters
assessed were:
· Head: Shape, color, size, width and length of head with and without
mandibles (Table 1)
· Antennae: Number
and size of the segments
· Mandible: Shape,
length, arrangement of marginal teeth and size (Table 1)
· Labrum:
Hyaline tip and its shape
· Legs: Tibial spur
and number of tarsi segments
· Body: Color, length and width
Results and Discussion
A total of 37 termite
species were reported from Haryana (Poonia 2019).
This diversity was hierarchically listed under 11 genera, six subfamilies (Macrotermitinae, Angulitermitinae,
Amitermitinae, Coptotermitinae,
Heterotermitinae, and Apicotermitinae)
and three families (Termitidae, Rhinotermitidae,
and Kalotermitidae). Eremotermes
was previously only represented by paradoxalis
in Haryana (Krishna et al. 2013; Poonia
2019), and we now include neoparadoxalis. This
species is mostly found in dry zones (Roonwal &
Bose 1978). For the species identification mean and standard deviation were
calculated on five individuals of both castes (soldier and worker). Species of
the genus Eremotermes generally look alike;
consequently, differences among species are noticed by different sizes of
antennal segments of 3rd, 4th, and 5th in
worker castes (Chhotani 1997).
Keys for genus and
species of Eremotermes
Genus: Eremotermes Silvestri (Head with
short projected front protuberance. Mandibles thin, long, and somewhat incurved
apically) (Image 2)
Species:
1(2) Mandibles
comparative to head longer, index mandible-Iength/head-length
1.12–1.23. Mandibular tooth weak or indistinct
...................................................................... neoparadoxalis
2(1) Mandibles
comparative to head shorter, index mandible-length/head-length 0.78–1.07
Mandibular tooth prominent
3(4) Mandibles almost
straight; concavity on outer margin of mandibles very weak or absent
........................................................... madrasicus
4(3) Mandibles
appreciably curved; concavity on outer margin strong
5(6) Larger species:
Head-length to base of mandibles 0.94–1.105, head-width 0.81–0.85 mm.
Mandible-length equal to or slightly more than head-length, index mandible-Iength/head-Iength 1.0– 1.07 .....................................
fletcheri
6(5) Smaller species:
Head-length to base of mandibles 0.80–0.95, head-width 0.68–0.80 mm.
Mandible-length generally less than head length, index mandible-Iength/head-Iength 0.78–0.98
7(8) Frontal
protuberance prominent and frons very steeply inclined in front. Head thick,
height/width index 0.81–0.93. Mandibles strongly incurved at apices
.............................. dehraduni
8(7) Frontal
protuberance a little weaker and frons somewhat less so steeply inclined in
front. Head thinner, height/width index 0.66–0.87. Mandibles weakly incurved at
apices ................ paradoxalis
Species: neoparadoxalis (Mandibles with weak
tooth and comparatively longer than the head)
Eremotermes neoparadoxalis Ahmad
1955. Ahmad, Biologia, Lahore, 1(2): 252–253. S only. Holotype: S, in
PU, Lahore. Type-locality: Shahdadpur, Sind,
Pakistan.
1969. Roonwal and Bose, Rec. Zool. Surv.
India, 61(3 & 4): 440, 446.
1974. Akhtar,
Pakistan J. Zool., 6(1 & 2): 103. 1976. Akhtar, Pakistan J. Zool., 8(2):
163–165.
1977. Roonwal, In: Natural Resources of Rajasthan (Ed Roonwal): 375: 3.
2013. Krishna, et
al., Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., 6: 2129–2137.
This species is a
small-sized termite. Body length is ranged in between 3.5–4.1 in soldier caste
and 3.4–3.8 in worker caste (Table 1). Diagnostic features, measurements,
distribution and remarks of the soldier and worker castes of E. neoparadoxalis (Image 2) were described as follows:
Diagnostic features:
Soldier caste: Head capsule is
light yellow, rectangular to oval-shaped. Body is yellowish-white and mandibles
are reddish-brown. Mandibles are sabre-shaped, less incurved, pointed and
strongly incurved outer marginally. There is a minute tooth present little
behind the middle on both the mandibles. Pronotum is saddle-shaped where labrum is smaller and pointed in shape (Image 2).
Worker Caste: Head capsule is straw-colored and sub-square shaped whereas body is paler.
Mandibles are similar as imago caste (Image 2). Pronotum is saddle-shaped; its
anterior margin weakly or generally not notched and posterior margin straight.
Measurements (Table
1) (mm):
More description:
Soldier: Tarsal segments: 4,
Tibial spur ratio: 3:2:2, Antennae segments: 14, 3rd shortest and
sub-equal to or a little longer than 4; 5 longer and broader than 4 (Image 2).
Worker: Tarsal segments: 4,
Tibial spur ratio: 3:2:2, Antennae: 14 segmented; segment 3, 4, 5 sub-equal
(Image 2).
Distribution: India: Haryana (Nuh), Delhi, Gujarat (Dangs, Banaskantha, Valsad, Sabarkantha),
Rajasthan (Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jodhpur,
Jaipur) and Pakistan.
Remarks: In India, this
species is relatively rare but generally found in Gujarat and Rajasthan. As a
new record, this species is stated first time from the study site Palwal (Hodal), Haryana. This is a soil-borne species, commonly
collected from damaged wooden structures, dung cake and forests as well as
harvested fields (Sharma et al. 1975; Chhotani 1997; Saha & Basak 2011). The
present record of this species is collected from dung cake.
Table 1. Morphometric
analysis of termite’s body parts (in mm) Eremotermes
neoparadoxalis.
|
|
Parameters (mm) |
Soldier |
Worker |
||
|
Range |
Mean±SD |
Range |
Mean±SD |
||
|
1 |
Total body length |
3.5–4.1 |
3.84±0.215 |
3.4–3.8 |
3.64±0.16 |
|
2 |
Head length without
mandibles |
0.7–0.85 |
0.77±0.06 |
0.5–0.65 |
0.56±0.058 |
|
3 |
Head + mandibles
length |
1.6–1.9 |
1.75±0.109 |
0.7–0.9 |
0.81±0.08 |
|
4 |
Mandibles length |
0.8–0.9 |
0.86±0.04 |
0.2–0.35 |
0.27±0.06 |
|
5 |
Tooth distance |
0.3–0.37 |
0.33±0.027 |
- |
- |
|
6 |
Head width |
0.6–0.9 |
0.73±0.107 |
0.65–0.75 |
0.69±0.037 |
|
7 |
Body width |
0.6–0.75 |
0.67±0.06 |
0.6–0.8 |
0.7±0.07 |
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