THE SOLDIERLESS TERMITES OF AFRICA 51 



equatorial part of the Congo forest. It has been found in the old decaying mounds 

 of other species, and in moist rotting wood, under bark, and similar situations. 



ASTALOTERMES gen. n. 



(Astales, Gr., 'unarmed') 



Type-species: Anopiotermes concilians Silvestri, 1914 : 58. 



Imago. Small to large, W, 0-69-1-33. Fore tibia with three apical spurs, third usually 

 only slightly smaller than other two, sometimes vestigial. Apical teeth of mandibles vary in 

 length from short to fairly long, La/Li. 0-41-0-79, R A /Ri, 0-55-1-05; subsidiary marginal 

 tooth of left mandible with proximal end just clear to distinctly clear of molar prominence in 

 surface view, complex ratio L A /Li.L m , 4-54-13-20. Right mandible with points of apical and 

 marginal teeth in line, or first marginal retracted behind line from apical to second marginal; 

 anterior edge of first marginal longer than that of second, equal to it, or shorter. Meso- and 

 metanota from narrow to wide at constriction, M/W, 0-20-0-36, meso- and metanotal sutures 

 present to absent. 



Worker. Small to large, \V, 0-58-1-08. Fore tibia slender to moderately swollen, Ti/T w , 

 3-86-5-96 with three apical spurs, third usually distinct but sometimes vestigial. Apical teeth 

 of mandibles short to fairly long, L A /F m , 0-43-0-86, R A /R|, 0-57-1-08; subsidiary marginal 

 tooth of left mandible with proximal end just clear to distinctly clear of molar prominence in 

 surface view, complex ratio La/Li. L m , 7-25-18-60. Right mandible, with points of apical and 

 marginal teeth in line, or first marginal retracted; anterior edge of first marginal slightly longer 

 than that of second, equal to it, or shorter, complex ratio Ra/Ri Rm. 9-94-22-15. Mesenteric 

 junction with proctodeum varies from almost transverse to overlapping by about twice width 

 of mesenteron at insertion of malpighian tubules, proximal end of proctodeum touching mal- 

 pighian knot. Enteric valve seating variable, weakly lobed and sessile to distinctly two- or 

 three-lobed and connected to second pouch of proctodeum by a definite neck, ventro to dorso- 

 lateral in position in unopened abdomen; internal cushions of enteric valve unarmed, surface 

 scaly. 



A genus that occupies a transitional position between others with more primitive 

 and more specialized characters is always difficult to define and Astalotermes is no 

 exception to this. The diagnoses given above clearly include so wide a range of 

 variation that they overlap to some extent with several other genera, particularly 

 in the imago caste. It will be noted from the keys to genera that imagos alone 

 are not always reliably identifiable at this level; the worker caste usually gives a 

 clearer set of characters. The short mesenteric overlap with the proctodeum 

 distinguishes it from Adaiphrotermes, Anenteotermes and Aderitotermes. The 

 unarmed enteric valve separates it from many monotypic genera, from Aly scoter mes 

 and Ateuchotermes, and from its near relative Astratotermes in which the scales bear 

 small teeth. Adynatotermes is clearly closely related but has a more specialized 

 enteric valve seating; Aganotermes and Acholotermes have longer apical teeth to 

 the mandibles in both imago and worker castes. The relationship to Acidnotermes 

 is indicated under that genus. 



The species now placed in Astalotermes were grouped differently at earlier stages 

 in this revision. The multivariate analyses of measurements alone — canonical 

 variates (Text -figs 54 & 55) and principal components — produced compact groupings 

 of some of the species, but others now included were scattered more widely or 



