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Termites (Isoptera) as secondary occupants in mounds of Macrotermes michaelseni (Sjöstedt) in Kenya

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Abstract

Termites were found as secondary occupants in mounds of Macrotermes michaelseni (Sjöstedt) in Kajiado District, in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya. Data are presented from 34 mounds that were completely demolished and extracted to analyse the population of the primary nest. Secondary occupants were found in 29 of the 34 mounds, averaging 2.4 species per occupied mound (or 2.1 species per mound overall). The termites belonged to nine species, three of which were not found anywhere else in the area of study. The frequency of occurrence of the different species and their degree of association with the host mounds are examined and discussed.

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Acknowledgments

These observations were made during the Grasslands Termites Research Programme of the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), Nairobi, Kenya in the period 1975–1983. The project was financed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and later by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). I am very grateful to have been allowed access to the termite collection at the Natural History Museum in London, and also for taxonomic help and advice received from R.M.C. Williams, S. Bacchus and P. Eggleton. R.M.C. Williams examined the Cubitermes from Kajiado and confirmed that it is an undescribed species. My identification of M. binghami was confirmed by W.A. Sands. My identification of Lepidotermes goliathi was confirmed by V. Uys.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Museum of Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, England, UK

    J. P. E. C. Darlington

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  1. J. P. E. C. Darlington
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Correspondence to J. P. E. C. Darlington.

Appendix

Appendix

Occurrence of secondary termite occupants in a sample of 34 mounds of Macrotermes michaelseni that were completely demolished and sampled, between February 1975 and February 1981

Mound

Species of secondary occupants found in the mound

Total

6

a

 

c

      

2

9

    

e

  

h

 

2

24

     

f

   

1

32

         

0

48

a

   

e

f

 

h

 

4

70

a

      

h

 

2

76*

a

b

c

    

h

 

4

98

a

  

d

 

f

 

h

 

4

111

    

e

 

g

  

2

144

a

 

c

    

h

 

3

146

       

h

 

1

162

a

    

f

 

h

 

3

170

         

0

184

         

0

198

    

e

f

 

h

 

3

202

     

f

 

h

 

2

216

     

f

   

1

230

         

0

244

    

e

f

g

h

 

4

262

  

c

      

1

271

a

 

c

 

e

 

g

h

 

5

299

     

f

 

h

 

2

308

    

e

f

   

2

314

       

h

 

1

321

a

   

e

  

h

 

3

330

     

f

 

h

 

2

342

  

c

 

e

    

2

397

       

h

 

1

401

     

f

 

h

 

2

403*

    

e

f

 

h

j

4

410

a

   

e

  

h

 

3

412

    

e

f

   

2

501

    

e

f

   

2

519*

         

0

Species

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

j

 

Total

10

1

6

1

13

15

3

20

1

70

%

14.3

1.4

8.6

1.4

18.6

21.4

4.3

28.6

1.4

 
  1. Termitinae: a, Amitermes messinae; b, Microcerotermes sp.; c, Cubitermes sp. nov.; d, Lepidotermes goliathi; e, Promirotermes masaicus; f, Pericapritermes dumicola—Macrotermitinae: g, Synacanthotermes zanzibarensi; h, Microtermes mulii—Nasutitermitinae; j, Mimeutermes binghami
  2. * Nest was not fumigated

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Darlington, J.P.E.C. Termites (Isoptera) as secondary occupants in mounds of Macrotermes michaelseni (Sjöstedt) in Kenya. Insect. Soc. 59, 159–165 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00040-011-0199-1

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