THE SOLDIERLESS TERMITES OF AFRICA 



65 





Range 



Mean 



0-58-0-60 



0585 





010-011 



01 05 





0-41-0-43 



0422 





0-18-0-20 



0192 





0-04-0-05 



0045 





— 



0077 





0-03-0-04 



0034 





0-04-0-05 



0043 





005-006 



0056 



m) 



— 



0038 



just clear of molar prominence in surface view, La/Li. L m , 14-8-18-6; point of right first marginal 

 tooth slightly behind line from apical to second marginal, and its anterior edge distinctly shorter 

 than that of broadly-based second, Ra/Ri-Riii. 18-29-22-15. Fore tibia moderately inflated, 

 Ti/T w , 3-90-4-07, third apical spur prominent. Mesenteric junction with proctodeum almost 

 transverse, coinciding with malpighian knot; enteric valve seating lateral in unopened abdomen, 

 very weakly two-lobed, almost a rim, sessile on second pouch of proctodeum, membranous wall 

 of valve beyond cushions with sparse minute spicules. 



Measurements (four specimens from three localities) in millimetres. 



Head width (YY) .... 



Fore tibia width (T w ) .... 

 Fore tibia length (Ti) .... 

 Postclypeus length (Pel) 

 Left mandible, apical to first marginal (Fa) 

 Left mandible, first to third marginal (L\) 

 Left mandible, third marginal to molar (L m ) 

 Right mandible, apical to first marginal (R A ) 

 Right mandible, first to second marginal (R|) 

 Right mandible, second marginal to molar (R m ) 



A. comis is distinguishable from near relations such as A. amicus, A. concilians 

 and A. eumemts in both castes by the broadly based second marginal and smaller 

 first marginal of the right mandible. Differences from A. benignus and Acidno- 

 termes praus are given under those species, and its relationship to the latter has 

 already been discussed. The reduced right first marginal tooth in the worker 

 perhaps also indicates a trend towards the Group III species. However, the pro- 

 portions of the mandibles are actually different, as indicated by the complex ratios, 

 and the mesenteric junction with the proctodeum is shorter. A further feature is 

 that the worker abdomen appears non-dehiscent in A. comis. 



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

 Republic of South Africa: Natal, Ubombo, 18. xi. 1955 (W. G. H. Coaton) in 

 National Collection of Isoptera, No. TM. 1413, Pretoria. (Paratype $ and 3* imagos, 

 and workers from type-colony also in British Museum (Natural History).) 



Other paratype material. Republic of South Africa: Natal, Ubombo, 18, 

 19, 21. xi. 1955, six vials, Ingwavuma, 23. xi. 1955, two vials, Transvaal, Waterberg, 

 3.x. i960 (W. G. H. Coaton) in N.C.I., Pretoria and BMNH. 



A total of 10 nest-series have been examined, but no information is available on 

 the biology of this species. 



Astalotermes concilians (Silvestri) comb. n. 

 (Text-figs 63, 64, 73, 74 & 95-100) 



Anoplotermes concilians Silvestri, 1914 : 59. LECTOTYPE $, Guinea: Kindia (Silvestri 



Coll., Istituto di Entomologia Agraria, Naples), here designated [examined]. 

 Anoplotermes placidits Silvestri, 1914 : 63. LECTOTYPE <$, Guinea: Mamou (Silvestri 

 Coll., Istituto di Entomologia Agraria, Naples), here designated [examined]. Syn. n. 

 Imago. Head capsule brown to sepia-brown, very dark above ocelli; fontanelle small, yellow- 

 brown to pale brown, short oval, slightly depressed; medial spot short oval, flat or slightly 



