ART. 20. SOME NEW AMERICAN TERMITES SNYDER. 19 



Genus COPTOTERMES Wasmann. 



Some of the most destructive species of termites in the world to 

 the woodwork of buildings and other timber belong to this genus. 

 G Oftotermes formosanus Shiraki is capable of dissolving lime mortar 

 by secretions from the tubular frontal gland, according to Oshima. 



Species in the genus Coptote-i-^nes are widely distributed throughout 

 the world, but the genus is apparently not rich in species. 



Fortunately, no species occurs in the United States. 



The soldier caste is distinctive, having a short tubular projection on 

 the front of the head, that is, the opening of the frontal gland. 



COPTOTERMES NIGER, new species. 



Winged adult. — Head very dark, castaneous-brown to black. Head 

 elliptical but longer than broad, broadest at eyes, with long pubes- 

 cence. Fontanelle a round depression between compound eyes. Eyes 

 nearly round, distant less than their diameter from lower margin 

 of head, about an eye diameter from front of head, slightly projecting. 

 Ocellus its long diameter distant from eye, placed obliquely to eye. 

 Post-clypeus yellow-brown, much broader than long. Labrum yel- 

 low-brown, elongate, somewhat tongue-shaped, longer than broad — 

 broad at base— rounded at tip ; with long golden-yellow pubescence. 



Antennae light brown, longer than head, 21 segments, pubescent; 

 first segment long, stout, cylindrical ; second approximately half the 

 length of first ; third short ; fourth rounded, longer, but not as long 

 as second, becoming stouter towards apex;*last segment long, slender, 

 subovate. 



Fronotam same color as head, nearly twice as broad as long, not 

 broader than head, subcordate ; both anterior and posterior margins 

 slightly emarginate but anterior margin more concave, posterior mar- 

 gin nearly straight, lateral margins with long pubescence. 



Wing scale slightly longer than pronotum; with long pubescence; 

 wings dark gray-brown, ciliate, 12 mm. in length; short pubescence 

 on surface of wings. Median nearer to cubitus, normally with 2 

 branches at apex; cubitus with 17 branches, or subbranches (pi. 5, 

 fig. 21). 



Dorsal surface of abdomen same dark color as head and pronotum, 

 with long pubescence; ventral surface of bod}^ yellow-brown, with 

 long golden-yellow pubescence. 



Legs yellow-brown. 



Measurements. 



Length of entire winged adult : 13-13.5 mm. 

 Leugtli of entire deiilated adult : 6.5-7.0 mm. 

 Length of head : l.GO-1.65 mm. 

 Length of pronotum (at corners) : 0.90 mm. 

 Length of hind tibia : 1.30 mm. 



