66 ARKIV FÖR ZOOLOGI. BAND 12. NIO 15. 



Genus Hamitermes Silv. 



Holmgren in his »Termitenstudien» III, p. 88—89 (1912), 

 has divided this genus in six different subgenera, three of 

 which are represented in Australia {Drepanotermes, Monodoii- 

 termes and Hamitermes s. str.) in seven different species. 

 As a matter of fact, tlie subgenus Drepanotermes includes 

 the two peculiar forms. Dr. perniger Frogg. and Dr. ruhri- 

 ceps Frogg. seeras me to be so well separated from the other 

 sub-genera that it probably deserves the rank of a good 

 genus. 



Of the sub-genus Hamitermes s. str. hitherto only two 

 species were known from the Australian continent: H. meri- 

 dionalis Frogg. from the northern and central parts and ^. 

 obeuntis Silv. from S. W. Australia. In studying my large 

 material from nearly all parts of the wide continent I find 

 that it is lichly represented by quite a number of new spe- 

 cies. Most of them belong to the open savannah forest 

 country (6), only one having specialized for a life in the 

 rain-forests or jungles. The separating characters are tlip 

 number of joints of antennse, the shape and dentition of the 

 jaws and the shape of the head. Also the shape and form 

 of the nest are very variable, in spite of the species being 

 morphologically really closely related. As those differences 

 are quite constant, I think lam justified in describing them 

 as distinct species. 



The wing nervures of the imago are subject to very great 

 variations. Sometimes mediana and cubitus send out a great 

 number of nervures backwards and forwards, sometimes 

 only few. 



The soldiers of the 14 hitherto known distinct species 

 can be separated by the second Key. The imagines of the five 

 hitherto know species are tabulated in the following key. 



Key 



to the five hitherto known imagines of the Australian 

 Hamitermes-species. 



I. Antenn» with 17 (18) joints 



E. per niger Frogg. 



