Intracolony morphometric variation and labral shape in Florida Reticulitermes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) soldiers: significance for identification

Measurements of pronotal width, broadest gular width, and labral length of Reticulitermes soldiers collected in San Felasco State Preserve, Florida, showed considerable intracolony variation and interspecific overlap. The termites collected did not differ in size from termites collected state wide....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Florida entomologist 1995-03, Vol.78 (1), p.119-129
Main Authors: Hostettler, N.C. (University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.), Hall, D.W, Scheffrahn, R.H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Banks
BIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES
Biology
CHARACTERISTICS
Curvature
DIFERENCIAS BIOLOGICAS
DIFFERENCE BIOLOGIQUE
Entomology
FLORIDA
FLORIDE
Insect colonies
Isoptera
Micrometers
Microscope slides
MORPHOLOGY
RETICULITERMES
RETICULITERMES FLAVIPES
RETICULITERMES HAGENI
RETICULITERMES VIRGINICUS
Rhinotermitidae
SPECIES DIFFERENCES
Termites
Worker insects
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Summary:Measurements of pronotal width, broadest gular width, and labral length of Reticulitermes soldiers collected in San Felasco State Preserve, Florida, showed considerable intracolony variation and interspecific overlap. The termites collected did not differ in size from termites collected state wide. The reported 0.81 mm pronotal width threshold failed to separate soldiers of R. flavipes from R. virginicus. An average pronotal width measurement (n5) separates R. flavipes from R. virginicus. A new character, labral shape, was found to be very reliable for separating the three species. /// Las medidas del ancho pronotal, máximo ancho gular y longitud del labrum de soldados de Reticulitermes, celectados en la Reserva Estatal de San Felasco en Florida, mostraron considerable variación y sobreposición interspecífica. Las termitas colectadas no presentaron diferencia en tamaño de aquellas celectadas en el resto del estado. La medida del ancho pronotal registrado de 0.81 mm como limite para separar los soldados de R. flavipes de R. virginicus, no fue de utilidad. El promedio de las medidas del ancho pronotal (n>5) ≥ 0.9 mm hace referencia a R. flavipes, ≤ 0.7 mm a R. hageni, 0.71 - 0.80 mm a R. virginicus, y un límite de 0.85 mm (n>5) separa R. flavipes de R. virginicus. Un nuevo carácter encontrado, la forma del labrum, fué muy confiable para separar las 3 especies.
ISSN:0015-4040
1938-5102
DOI:10.2307/3495675