The Termitei of South Africa 33 



Sub-genus HoDOTERMES, s.str. 



Hodotermes viator (Latr.) 



=-- H. aurmllu Sjostedt (1900). 



The synonomy of Hodotermes viator (Latr.) is somewhat in- 

 volved; but from an examination of the type, I have been able to 

 decide that the form hitherto known as H. aurivillii Sjostedt 

 (1900) represents Latrielle's species. In a previous paper of the 

 writer's (1915), wherein a description of the soldier and worker 

 caste of viator was set out, the announcement was made that 

 aurivillii was quite a distinct species. 



It is only recently, however, that I have had the opportunity of 

 inspecting Latrielle's type, this being submitted to me, from the 

 Brussels Museum, through the kindly offices of Dr. L. Peringuey, 

 Director of the South African Museum. It is especially interest- 

 ing that after a period of over 1 1 5 years this specimen should 

 again return, if but temporarily, to South Africa and be sufficient- 

 ly unique to set at rest what might otherwise have remained 

 debatable. 



The type has a recorded headwidth of 4 mm. (Hagen,, Sjo- 

 stedt) but a careful measurement shows it to be 3.8 mm. The 

 head is a clear red brown in colour with the pseudo ocelli very 

 distinct, quite sharply defined and bright yellow. The flagelli 

 of both antennae are missing so that only the two basal joints 

 of each organ remain. The mandibles are closely clenched and 

 cannot be examined. The frons exhibits a shallow but distinct 

 transverse depression almost oblong in oudine, the hind margin 

 being broken in the middle by a short keel, a projection of the 

 vertex into the depression. The body, as a whole, is an opaque, 

 orange yellow, there being a noticeable and dark band in the trans- 

 verse furrow of the pronotum. The legs are a pale sordid yellow, 

 but two are present, and from one, a tarsus is missing. Apart from 

 the labels showing it to be Latrielle's type, there are two older 

 labels which I have failed to decipher. 



