28 o 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XXVI, No. 7 
Although there are several references in literature to the termites 
that occur in Panama, in only two cases has definite work dealing w r ith 
these species been done. Dudley and Beaumont (6, 7, 8 ), z have contrib¬ 
uted three papers on the biology and habits of several of the species 
found in the Canal Zone and in near-by parts of the Republic of Panama. 
Banks ( 1) has recently published a taxonomic paper on the species of 
the same general region based on material collected by Motschulsky, 
Dudley, Beaumont, Jennings, Busck, and the Hassler Expedition. 
It is the purpose of this article to bring together all that is known about 
the habits and habitats, the biology, and the economic importance of 
the 21 species of termites that have been recorded from this region. 
Four of these were new and their habits hitherto unknown. * 4 This paper 
is based largely on the material collected by Mr. Dietz and notes that 
were made by him at the time the material was collected. Doctor Sny¬ 
der 5 (21) has identified and described the material and both authors have 
helped to interpret the field notes. Their work has been supplemented 
by material for identification and notes from various sources that have 
been sent to Doctor Snyder from time to time. 6 Credit for such notes 
and material is given in the text. 
All of the material collected was given an accession number in the field 
and all notes were taken under the same number. The notes and obser¬ 
vations recorded were based on collected specimens, and, in the case of 
the photographs of the nests, these were accompanied by specimens 
taken from the nest and numbered with the same number that was given 
to the negative. That this is an important procedure is shown in the 
case of the work done by Dudley and Beaumont. The classification of 
the termites in their day had not reached the plane on which it is to-day, 
and Banks (1), in working over their material, found that, instead of one 
species, they had at least two or more in the genera Nasutitermes and 
Amitermes. Therefore, although the present writers suppose that the 
common species in the genus “Eutermes” Fritz Muller ( 1 . s.) with which 
Dudley and Beaumont worked and which they later designated as 
“ Eutermes 1 ' ( Termes) morio Latreille was most probably Nasutitermes 
cornigera Motschulsky, unfortunately they can not be certain of the 
fact, nor does any means remain to-day by which the question can be 
definitely settled. The identity of other termites described by Dudley 
and Beaumont is also in doubt. 
Twenty-one species of termites have been recorded from the Canal 
Zone and adjacent regions in Panama and specimens are in hand of all 
these species. Fifteen of these species occur on the Pacific slope and 10 
of them on the Atlantic slope, but of these 10 only 8 are from both slopes. 
Hardly any collecting, however, has been done on the Atlantic slope. 
In Table I these termites are given in their proper systematic position 
and their present known distribution in the Canal Zone and near-by 
parts of Panama is shown. The difference in the distribution may be at 
least partly due to the 33^ per cent greater rainfall on the Atlantic slope 
than on the Pacific. Dr. David Fairchild (9) states that the rainfall at 
Chagres on the Atlantic slope is nearly double that on the heights of 
Balboa on the Pacific side. 
* Reference is made by number (italic) to “ Literature cited,” pp. 301-302. 
4 This article was written in May, 1921. Since then other species of termites have been found in Pam 
ama, descriptions or some of which have been published. 
6 Snyder, Thomas Elliott, descriptions of new species and hitherto unknown castes of 
termites from AMERICA and hawah. In Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., v. 64, not yet published. 
6 Special mention should be made of the assistance generously given Mr. Dietz by James Zetek, formerly 
entomologist of the Canal Zone. Ignacio Molino assisted in collecting specimens. Since Mr. Dietz left 
Panama, Messrs. Zetek and Molino have continued to cooperate. 
