158 W. A. SANDS 



MIMEUTERMES Silvestri 



Mimeutermes Silvestri, 1914 : 47. Type-species by original designation, Mimeutermes giffardii 

 Silvestri, 1914. 



Imago. Left mandible with long apical tooth, cutting edge from first to third marginals 

 short, slightly concave (left mandible index 2-00-2-23), g a P between third marginal and molar 

 plate less than half as wide as this cutting edge ; right mandible, apical and first marginal as 

 left, second marginal obsolete, posterior cutting edge of first marginal concave, molar plate with 

 pronounced anterior and posterior rounded flanges, and tapering distally, ridges absent. Post- 

 clypeus weakly inflated, width twice length or slightly less. Fontanelle pale, slit-like, slightly 

 bifurcate with pale patch in front, to almost obsolete, little paler than head. Eyes slightly set 

 out from sides of head. Pilosity of head variable. Pronotum, rounded posteriorly, anterior 

 margin concave. 



Soldier. Monomorphic. Nose thickly conical, merging with taper of head capsule at base, 

 fontanelle rather large. Vestigial mandibles with and without points, labrum with sinuate 

 anterior margin. Head capsule in plan view not constricted, top-shaped including nose, with 

 sides parallel or rounded towards back. Antennae 12 segmented. Head and nose with few 

 conspicuous setae. Abdominal tergites with sparse scattered minute setae, longer on posterior 

 margins and posterior 2-3 tergites ; sternites with sparse short setae and longer on posterior 

 margins, approximately twice length of short. 



Worker. Mandibles as imago except apical tooth longer in proportion (left mandible index 

 3-32-3-59), and right molar plate larger with more pronounced flanges. 



The genus Mimeutermes, like the other Ethiopian members of the " Para- 

 cornitermes-bva.nch ", is very distinctive in form, and detailed discussion is not 

 required. Its relationships to Tarditermes and Verrucositermes are discussed under 

 those genera. It is unlikely to be confused with any other genus except in the 

 worker caste. 



This is an unusual genus in that it appears to have evolved in the rain forest to 

 the west of the Dahomey-Togoland gap. This forest limits the distribution of 

 M. giffardii, the most primitive species, but the other two appear progressively 

 more adapted to savannah conditions, and have spread back to Nigeria, though un- 

 known further eastwards. It seems probable that this reflects the genuine distri- 

 bution, rather than the failure of collectors, in view of the frequent records of related 

 genera from similar habitats in other localities. 



Keys to Species 

 Imago 



Larger, W, 1-08-1-12 ; pronotum very large, wider than head width across eyes, 



1-25-1-35 .......... edentatus (p. 160) 



Smaller, W, 0-89-0-97 ; pronotum narrower than head width across eyes, 0-78-0-89 2 



Eyes smaller, 0-29 ; T 3 longer, 1-02. Pilosity of head capsule and pronotum very 

 even, forming a " pelt " with a few scattered longer setae (Text-fig. 463) 



sorex (p. 163) 



Eyes larger, 0-31—0-33 ; T 3 shorter, 0-81-0-87. Pilosity of head capsule and prono- 

 tum uneven, not forming a " pelt ", with many scattered longer setae, (Text-fig. 

 462) giffardii (p. 161) 



