190 BULLETIN 108, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



NASUTITERMES COSTARICENSIS Holmgren. 



(For taxonomy, see pp. 69-71.) 



Oiily one species of Nasutitermes has been found in the United 

 States — namely, costaricensis Holmgren. This species occurs in 

 Cuba and Porto Rico in the West Indies. Specimens of sexual adults 

 dealated (adults without wings) and nasuti are in the collection of 

 N. Banks in a vial with label "Texas." 



Genus CONSTRICTOTERMES Holmgren. 



The species of the genus Constrictotermes are of special interest 

 because of the presence of "nasuti" instead of mandibulate soldiers. 

 This caste is peculiar in that there is an elongation of the head into a 

 long, pointed beak. Dr. L. O. Howard (1901), in referring to the 

 "nasutus" caste, with this nose-like process, states that this term 

 "must at once remind the admirers of Sienkiewicz of the Polish 

 warrior Kharlamp." Through this beak is exuded a fluid wliich is 

 used in defense and also in making or repairing the earth-like tubes 

 through which the insects travel. 



As will be noted, the species of Constnctotermes swarm at night, 

 the flight commencing at dusk. The swarm usually takes place just 

 after a rain, since the insects could not otherwise become established 

 in the hard, dry ground after the swarm. The species of Con- 

 strictotermes live in the ground and they occur with species of Ami- 

 termes and Anoplotermes under cow chips. 



CONSTRICTOTERMES TENUIROSTRIS Desneux. 



For taxonomy see pp. 71-73. 



This termite was described by Desneux (1904a) from specimens of 

 the nasuti and workers from Etat de Jalisco, Mexico, collected by 

 L. Diguet, 1900, with the note "Fait des nids sur les arbres eleves"; 

 also Orizaba, coll. Bilimek. Desneux later (1905) described the 

 winged imago. The winged adults are from Fort Davis, Jeff Davis 

 County, Texas, W. M. Wheeler, collector. The size of the winged 

 adults, in relation to the nasuti and workers, is very great ; they have 

 long wings. The species occurs in both Arizona and Texas. It does 

 not construct nests on trees in the United States, as is its habit in 

 Mexico, according to Diguet. 



Species in the genus Constrictotermes Holmgren are subterranean 

 in habit; they do not construct large spherical tree nests, as do species 

 of Nasutitermes Banks. C. tenuirostris does not build nests in trees, 

 as recorded to be its habit in Mexico (Desneux, 1904a). It is more 

 likely that this Mexican species is some other species near X morio 

 Latreille. 



