Morphological examination of soldiers and imagos assigned to Nasutitermes corniger or N. costalis from 13 Neotropical countries and 42 West Indian islands revealed congruent characters and biometric overlap. A portion of the mitochondrial DNA 16S rRNA gene was sequenced from nine N. costalis and N. corniger samples. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the N. costalis/corniger DNA sequences relative to other Nasutitermes spp. supported the morphological evidence that these species are conspecific. Complementary biological, behavioral, biochemical, and reproductive ecology further support the presented synonymy. The senior synonym, N. corniger, is given nomenclatural precedence. The geographical distribution of N. corniger is revised.
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1 May 2005
Synonymy of Neotropical Arboreal Termites Nasutitermes corniger and N. costalis (Isoptera: Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae), with Evidence from Morphology, Genetics, and Biogeography
Rudolf H. Scheffrahn,
Jan Krecek,
Allen L. Szalanski,
James W. Austin
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Annals of the Entomological Society of America
Vol. 98 • No. 3
May 2005
Vol. 98 • No. 3
May 2005
arboreal termite
distribution
taxonomy
