THE SOLDIERLESS TERMITES OF AFRICA 47 



Worker. Head capsule pale yellow, pilosity yellow, fairly numerous but very short. Post- 

 clypeus strongly inflated, Pcl/VV, 0-33-0-36, Pcl/Ri, 2-83-3-19. Membranous wall of enteric 

 valve beyond cushions with sparse minute spicules. Other characters given in generic diagnosis. 



Measurements (five specimens from five localities) in millimetres. 



Range Mean ± S.I). 

 Head width (W) ....... 0-48-0-57 0519 ± 0032 



Fore tibia width (T w ) .... 

 Fore tibia length (Ti) .... 

 Postclypeus length (Pel) 

 Left mandible, apical to first marginal (La) 

 Left mandible, first to third marginal (Li) 

 Left mandible, third marginal to molar (L m ) 

 Right mandible, apical to first marginal (Ra) 

 Right mandible, first to second marginal (Ri) 

 Right mandible, second marginal to molar (R m ) 



0099 ± 0001 

 0-34-0-39 0358 ± 0021 

 0-17-0-19 0-182 ±: 0-009 



0039 ± 0-002 



0-07-0-08 0-076 ± 0-004 



— 0038 ± 0002 



0039 ± 0002 

 006-007 0061 ± 0004 

 004-005 0039 ± 0004 



The distinguishing features of this species are discussed under the generic heading, 

 and some details of its phylogenetic significance are mentioned in the section on the 

 phylogeny of the group as a whole. The abdomen of the worker caste appears 

 to be dehiscent in at least some specimens but this characteristic does not seem to 

 be as strongly developed as in some species of Astalotermes. 



Holotype $ imago, paratype J and $ imagos, and workers from type-colony, 

 Democratic Republic of Congo: Stanleyville, 27.V.1948 (A. Emerson), in American 

 Museum of Natural History. 



Other paratype material. Democratic Republic of Congo: Luluabourg, 

 xi.1929 (/. Ghesquiere) ; Camp Putnam, Epulu R., 20^.1948, Stanleyville, 25, 27. v, 

 and i.vi.1948, five vials, 20 km E. of Ndjili and 18 km S. of Leopoldville [Kinshasa], 

 10. vi. 1948 (A. Emerson); Kinshasa, 5.xii.i959, two vials, 25. vi. i960, i.x.1966, 

 Mpenzara, 7.ix.i966 {A. Bouillon); Kinshasa, 13. v. 1965, two vials, Mount Gafula, 

 30 km S. of Knshasa, on Matadi Road, 4.x. 1966 (C. Nkakala) ; Mondongo, Lisala, 

 27-28.ix.1966, three vials (/. Ruelle). Material in AMNH, BMNH and Coll. A. 

 Bouillon, University of Lovanium, Kinshasa. 



A total of 20 nest-series were examined. 



The species appears to be fairly common in the Congo Forest block, where it has 

 been found in small compact earth-carton nests 10-15 cm m diameter, on or below 

 the soil surface, as well as in the mounds of other species, in surface debris, and under 

 dead wood. 



AMALOTERMES gen. n. 



(Amalos Gr., 'soft, tender, or weak') 

 Type-species: Amalotermes phaeocephalus sp. n. 



Imago. Medium-sized, W, 0-81-0-90. Fore tibia with three apical spurs, but third vestigial, 

 almost lost in some specimens. Apical teeth of mandibles short, L A /Li, 0-38-0-48, Ra/Ri, 

 0-56-0-65; subsidiary marginal tooth of left mandible with proximal end hidden behind molar 

 prominence in surface view, complex ratio La/Li. L m , 6-50-8-29. Right mandible with anterior 

 edge of first marginal tooth about as long as that of second, its point slightly behind the line of 



