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First record of the termite species Nasutitermes profuscipennis Akhtar (Blattodea: Isoptera) from India

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Abstract

Nasutitermes profuscipennis Akhtar is an Oriental nasutiform termite. The species was first described from Bangladesh and later reported from Thailand. In this paper, we report the species for the first time from India. During the study, samples were collected from human settlement and Indian bay leaf plantation areas of Nongkhrah, Nongpoh area of Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya, India. The morphological characters of both the soldier and worker castes of N. profuscipennis are presented in this article along with a note on its geographical distribution. An updated list of species of the genus Nasutitermes is also provided here from India.

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The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgement

The authors would like to extend their gratitude to the head, department of Zoology, NEHU, Shillong for providing necessary facilities for the work. Authors are also thankful to the University Grant Commission, New Delhi for providing fellowship under the National Fellowship for Scheduled Castes Students (vide- F1-17.1/2017-18/RGNF-2017-18-SC-ASS-35335) scheme to the first author. We are also grateful to Rodeson Thangkhiew for his valuable assistance during sample collection.

Funding

The first author was awarded the National Fellowships for Scheduled Caste Students from the University Grant Commission, New Delhi, India (Award letter No.-F1-17.1/2017-18/RGNF-2017-18-SC-ASS-35335).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Entomology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, 793022, Meghalaya, India

    Khirod Sankar Das, Joycy Mary Kharthangmaw, K. Chanreila L. Nonglait, Cynthia Bansara Marwein & Sudipta Choudhury

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  1. Khirod Sankar Das
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  2. Joycy Mary Kharthangmaw
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  3. K. Chanreila L. Nonglait
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Correspondence to Sudipta Choudhury.

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Das, K.S., Kharthangmaw, J.M., Nonglait, K.C.L. et al. First record of the termite species Nasutitermes profuscipennis Akhtar (Blattodea: Isoptera) from India. Int J Trop Insect Sci 43, 1013–1019 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-023-01021-7

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