I'KKSIDKXTIAr. ADDRESS — SECTION D. ICK) 



one existing at the time of the dispersal of the termites. Never- 

 theless, as in the case of the beetles, the Ethiopian and Indo- 

 Malay reg-ions are connected by the occurrence in both of the 

 highly specialised dipteron Termitoxenia. 



Speaking generally, it may be said that the termitophile 

 faunas of the different regions are being gradually evolved from 

 the surrounding faunas, and there are no obvious relics of an 

 ancient fauna of termitophiles. The very striking similarities 

 in the external aspect and in the numbers of species in the 

 different regions are to be accounted for by the fact that the 

 termite communities provide similar opportunities and a similar 

 uniform environment in all parts of the world. 



V. Comparison of the Termite Faunas of the Various 



Regions. 



In examining the table given on p. 94 we at once notice 

 that the .Ethiopian region contains by far the largest number of 

 species. The genera and subgenera of termites are not as yet 

 satisfactorily defined, but. according to the table given, there 

 are in this region 319 species and 33 genera, 18 being peculiar. 

 In the Indo-Malay region there are 280 species and 25 genera, 

 9 being peculiar ; in South America and Central America there 

 are 187 species and 18 genera. 6 being peculiar; and in Australia 

 and Tasmania there are 56 species and 17 genera, 7 being peculiar. 



In the first three regions mentioned we find an average of 

 about 10 species to a genus, while in Australia there is an 

 average of only about 3 species. Thus Australia would seem to 

 be poor in species, but relatively rich in genera. The general 

 fa^ies of the Australian termite fauna is ancient and primitive; 

 the remarkably primitive genus Mastotcnncs occurs in this 

 region, and the number of species of the unsnecialised genus 

 Calotermes is relativel}^ high. If we calculate the ratio of the 

 immber of Calotermes species to the total number of the termite 

 species in the various regions, we find that in Africa 6 per cent, 

 of the fauna are Calotermes, in Indo-Malay Region 8 per cent., 

 in South America 15 per cent., and in Australia 19 per cent. 



A marked pre^xDnderance of Calotermes species may also be 

 noted in the northern boundaries of the termite regions ; thus 

 in North America the ratio is 2>^ per cent., and in Japan and 

 Southern China, etc., 26 per cent. Madagascar, being an island, 

 may be left out of this comparison, since Calotermes would be 

 more readily distributed by drift wood than any other termite. 



Next to Mastotermes, the most primitive termite genera 

 are Termopsis and Archotervnopsis; the former occurs in North 

 America, and the latter in Kashmir, North India. 



The less specialised and more primitive termites may be 

 regarded as being comprised in the genera Mastotermes, 

 Termopsis, Archotermopsis, Calotermes, Leucotennes, and Copto- 

 termes. If the species contained in these genera in any particular 



