THE SOLDIERLESS TERMITES OF AFRICA 229 



ADAIPHROTERMES gen. n. 



(A — 'Not', daiphron, Gr., 'warlike') 

 Type-species: Adaiphrotermes cunicidator sp. n. 



Imago. Small to medium-sized, W, 0-71-1-01. Fore tibia with only two apical spurs. 

 Apical teeth of mandibles short, La/Li, 0-43-0-57, complex ratio, Ra/Ri, 0-66-0-93; subsidiary 

 marginal tooth of left mandible with proximal end, clear of molar prominence in surface view, 

 complex ratio, La/Li-Lbi. 5-96-11-10. Right mandible with first and second marginal teeth 

 more or less equal in length and in line with apical tooth. Meso- and metanota narrow at 

 constriction, M/W, 016-0-23; mesonotal suture absent, metanotal suture weak or absent. 



Worker. Small to medium-sized, W, 0-59-0-75. Fore tibia with only two apical spurs, 

 hairy, with prominent bristles on posterior margin, swollen, Ti/T w , 3-00-4-00. Apical teeth of 

 mandibles short, La/I-i, 0-46-0-64, Ra/Ri, 0-65-1-10; subsidiary marginal tooth of left mandible 

 with proximal end clear of molar prominence, complex ratio, La/Li. L m , 101-14-3; apical and 

 marginal teeth of right mandible approximately equal and with their points in line, complex 

 ratio, Ra/Ri. Rm» 14-3-20-8. Mixed segment of gut (mesenteric overlap with proctodeum) 

 elongated extending beyond malpighian knot, mesenteron terminating in spherical or hemis- 

 pherical dilation. First section of proctodeum long, swollen, constricting sharply to narrow 

 tubular enteric valve; valve seating with two or three lobes or a simple rim, sessile on second 

 pouch of proctodeum or with short neck, dorsal in position in unopened abdomen; internal 

 cushions of enteric valve unarmed, reticulate or weakly scaled, mainly towards proximal ends. 



The characters given in the above diagnosis make this one of the easiest genera 

 to recognize. No other African genus completely lacks the third apical spur on the 

 fore tibia, and in the worker caste the very characteristic gut with the white mesenteric 

 'ball' is easily recognizable even in the unopened abdomen. The abdomen of the 

 worker is not dehiscent in this genus. The only other genera with an elongated 

 mixed segment are Aderitotermes and Anenteotermes, and in these the end of the 

 mesenteron is not dilated. In the multivariate analyses based on measurements, 

 Adaiphrotermes stands out more clearly (Text-figs 631 and 632) than in the vector 

 diagram of the similarity analysis (Text-fig. 633), but in all it is close to the large 

 Astalotermes- Anenteotermes cluster as previously stated. Outside Africa, the most 

 closely similar genus appears to be the Neotropical Anoplotermes, which also has 

 only two apical spurs on the fore tibia, and a closely similar gut. However, the 

 proportions of the apical and marginal teeth of the mandibles are different, and 

 the proximal end of the subsidiary marginal tooth of the left mandible is hidden well 

 behind the molar prominence. This is a feature of most of the more primitive 

 genera of the Oriental region, and of most termites, and is far more important than 

 its relative size would suggest. There is little doubt that the Anoplotermes of South 

 America actually comprise several genera as do the African species hitherto also all 

 included in that genus, and that the similarities result from convergence rather than 

 close direct relationship. 



Only three species are described in Adaiphrotermes, but worker castes alone of 

 several other species are also known. However it is considered undesirable at present 

 to describe them in the absence of their corresponding imago castes. 



Adaiphrotermes appears to be the only genus which has definitely been recorded 

 as attacking sound wood, though it is unlikely that this is its main diet. Both 

 A. choanensis and A. scapheutes have been found on bait pegs in 'graveyard' tests 

 in South Africa and Zambia. 



