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A CHECKLIST OF TERMITES (ISOPTERA) FROM KAIETEUR NATIONAL PARK, GUYANA PDF

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Preview A CHECKLIST OF TERMITES (ISOPTERA) FROM KAIETEUR NATIONAL PARK, GUYANA

PROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH. 101(3), 1999, pp. 687-689 Note A Checklist of Termites (Isoptera) from Kaieteur National Park, Guyana Nearly two-thirds of Guyana consists of Park. The following report is an annotated dense, river-permeated rainforests covering checklist of species that were collected, Precambrian rock. On the western border with three sampling areas distinguished: (1) with Venezuela and Brazil, erosion of Ro- Riverine forest above the falls, (2) white raima sandstone formations, laid down in and pink sand forest on the canyon plateau the Cretaceous, has formed the flat-topped lining the falls, and (3) shrub-herb savanna tepuis known as the Pakaraima Mountains. on the canyon above and beyond the falls. Several rivers begin at the top of the Pak- Feeding group assignments follow recent araimas, in places resulting in spectacular practice (Sleaford et al. 1996. Ecological waterfalls. Pedestalled where the Pakarai- Entomology, 21: 279-288). Replicate mas abruptly give way to lowland rainfo- vouchers for these collections have been rest, and with a straight drop of741 ft., Kai- deposited with the Center for Biodiversity, eteur Falls on the Potaro River (5°10'N, University of Guyana (Georgetown), The 59°29'W) is the most dramatic example. It Natural History Museum (London), and the is the second highest waterfall in the West- National Museum of Natural History, em Hemisphere and is the location ofGuy- Smithsonian Institution (Washington, DC). ana's only National Park. To our knowledge, this is the first survey A fascinating range of habitats is found of termites conducted in Guyana's only na- in the park. At the top of the falls, and tional park. along the upper edges of the canyon lining the Potaro River gorge beyond the falls, Annotated Checklist water vapor from the roaring tumult wafts Rhinotermitidae over white and pink sand forest adjacent to DoUchorhinotennes longilabius (Emerson). a shrub-herb savanna. Floral species found Found with Araiijotermes parvellus in there include giant, 3-meter tall bromeliads small branch buried in ground (2); in old (Brocchinia micrantha [Baker] Mez), blad- dead standing tree stump by river (1); in derworts (Utricularia humboltii, Rob. dead wood (1); wood feeder. Schomb.), lichens, and numerous trees DoUchorhinotennes nr. tenebrosus (Emer- (Clusiaceae and Rubiaceae families) and son). In dead wood (2); in standing wet shrubs (e.g., Inga sertulifera DC.) (Kelloff dead tree stump (2); wood feeder. and Funk 1999. A Checklist of the ferns, Heterotennes tenuis (Hagen). Under bark fern allies, and flowering plants ofKaieteur ofdead twig (2); in hard log (2); in carton National Park, Guyana. Smithsonian Insti- material at base of rock in sandy soil (3); tution, Washington, DC). Many of the trees wood feeder. and are covered with mosses, orchids, and Coptotermes testaceus (Linneaus). In rot- other epiphytes. The Smithsonian Institu- ting log (2); wood feeder. tion's Biodiversity of the Guianas (BDG) Termitidae Program, in collaboration with the Center for Biodiversity at the University of Guy- Apicotermitinae ana, has been conducting a survey of the Anoplotermes banksi Emerson. In very hu- flora and fauna of the country. As part of mic soil (2); soil feeder. BDG an initial expedition to collect and de- Anoplotermes genus-group, sp. A. In sandy scribe the termites of Guyana, we spent humic soil under root mass at base ofme- four days collecting at Kaieteur National dium-sized tree (2); soil feeder. PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON Anoplotermes genus-group, sp. B. In sus- feeding and nesting on lichen-encrusted pended soil/roots at base of bromeliad rock overlooking the fall (3). However, (3); soil feeder. the mandibular structure and gut contents Anoplotermes genus-group, sp. C. In soil appear to be typical ofNasutitermes spe- (2); soil feeder. cies feeding on dead wood. The nesting habit is unusual for the genus. Termitinae Nasutitermes intermedius Banks. In dead Cylindrotermes parvignathus Emerson. In wood (2); wood feeder dry dead wood (2); in very small twigs Nasutitermes gaigei (Emerson). In humic within root mat of very humic soil (2); root mass at base oftree (2); wood feeder wood feeder Nasutitermes sp. A. In dry dead wood (2); Neocaphtermes, n. sp. A. In soil plastered observed foraging during daytime on for- within dead wood (2); soil-wood inter- est floor; wood or litter feeder face feeders. Nasutitermes sp. B. Found with Araujoter- Tennesfatalls Linneaus. Near river, in car- mes parvellus in old Nasutitermes sp D ton nest at base of fallen tree (1); soil- carton nest on ground (3); wood feeder wood interface feeder. Nasutitermes sp. C. In dead wood (2); wood feeder Nasutitermitinae Nasutitermes sp. D. From small low (30- Armitermes mimitus Emerson. In very de- 40 cm high) nests on rocky ground (3) cayed wood (2); in root mat within very and sub-spherical arboreal nests (2); humic soil (2); in humus-rich root mat at wood or wood/litter feeder. tree base (2); soil-wood interface feeder. Embiratermes sp. A. In mound on ground Emerson (1925. Zoologica, 6, 291-459) (2); soil or soil-wood interface feeder recorded 79 species from Guyana, and 89 Araujotermes parvellus (Silvestri). In dead species are recorded in Araujo (1977. Ca- dry tree stump by river (I); secondary talogo dos Isoptera do Novo Mundo. Aca- occupant in old Nasutitermes sp D carton demia Brasileira de Ciencias, Rio de Janei- nest on ground in rocky unforested area, ro). Clearly, the Kaieteur checklist, with 22 found with Nasutitermes sp B (3); in species, does not accurately represent the standing dead wet stump (2); with Doli- potential diversity of the Kaieteur area giv- chorhinotermes longilabius in small en its habitat diversity. We found a surpris- branch (2); in abandoned water-logged ingly high apparent abundance of termites carton nest (probably Nasutitermes) in in the humus-rich woodland (area 2) scat- very old rotten (but dry) dead tree (2); tered in patches (<1 ha) among the bare under bark of dead twig (2). Recorded areas above the waterfall, although we had (Pontes 1982. Revista Brasileira de En- too little time to survey the area in detail. tomologia 26:—99-108) in carton nests of The bare areas themselves seem to be de- other species it is probably a carton void of termites except for epigeal nests of feeder within other termites' nests. Nasutitermes sp. D, which may be foraging Coatitermes kartahoensis (Emerson). Prob- into the woodland or on dead plant material ably from (2). Reported (Mathews 1977. growing sparsely in the savanna area. Our Studies on termites from Mato Grosso single observation of Anoplotermes-group State, Brazil. Academia Brasileira de sp. B in rich suspended humic material at Ciencias, Rio de Janeiro.)[as Convexiter- the base of bromeliads suggests, however, mes sensu lato] as feeding in rotten dead that this may be a microhabitat worth in- wood and on material already "trans- vestigating in further studies. formed" by other termites. The faunistic composition of the area is Nasutitermes banksi Emerson. Apparently very similar to that recorded from Kartabo, VOLUME NUMBER 101. 3 689 suggesting that there was little obvious might expect to pick up only the most com- turnover between the localities. Ofthe Kai- mon and widespread taxa. More detailed eteur species which were definitely identi- sampling in the varied habitats of the re- fiable (i.e., excluding Nasutitermes, Embir- serve would undoubtedly reveal numerous atennes, and Anoplotermes genus-group other species, some perhaps more charac- species to which we were unable to assign teristic of this unusual habitat. species names) only Termes fatalis, Neo- This is no. 36 in the Smithsonian's BDG capritermes n. sp. A, and Coptotermes tes- publication series and contribution no. 99- taceus were not also recorded from Karta- 202-J of the Kansas Agricultural Experi- bo, and of these the last has been recorded ment Station. We are grateful to Vicki from elsewhere in Guyana (Araujo 1977. Funk, Carol Kelloff, and their stafffor sup- Catalogo dos Isoptera do Novo Mundo. Ac- port and guidance, and to James Singh and ademia Brasileira de Ciencias, Rio de Ja- Dyyantie Naraine of the Center for the neiro). The four Nasutitermes to which we Study of Biodiversity, University ofGuyana, have been unable to give species names for extending to us every courtesy. may or may not fit into existing species concepts; we simply do not have enough Paul Eggleton, Richard Davies, Entomology specimens to be certain. The Neocaphter- Department, The Natural History Museum, mes species and three Anoplotermes-grou^ London, SW7 5BD, U.K. (e-mail: pe@ species appear to be new to science. Taken nhm.ac.uk); Matthew D. Kane, Laboratory with samples collected during the same of Molecular Systematics, National Muse- sampling trip in Paruima, Cuyui-Mazuruni, um of Natural History, Smithsonian Insti- Guyana, 17 new species of Anoplotermes tution, Washington, D.C., MD 20746, were collected in seven days of field work U.S.A.; and Srinivas Kambhampati, De- (Davies et al., unpublished data). partment ofEntomology, Kansas State Uni- In a provisional study of this kind, one versity, Manhattan, KS 66506, U.S.A. PROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH. 101(3), 1999, pp. 689-692 Note Otiorhynchus ovatus, O. rugosostriatus, and O. sulcatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): Exotic Weevils in Natural Communities, Mainly Mid-Appalachian Shale Barrens and Outcrops The Palearctic, mainly European genus species, including O. ovatus (L.), O. rugo- Otiorhynchus Germar is represented in sostriatus (Goeze), and O. sulcatus (F), North America by 16 adventive species that have become pests of agricultural and hor- were introduced, and have been further ticultural crops (Essig. 1933. California De- spread, with shipments of nursery stock or partment of Agriculture Monthly Bulletin other horticultural products (Warner and 22(7-11): 379-409). Adults are flightless, Negley. 1976. Proceedings of the Entomo- parthenogenetic, and mainly nocturnal and logical Society ofWashington 78: 240-262; univoltine. These three species are polyph- Maier. 1978. Environmental Entomology 7: agous, with larvae generally more host re- 854-857; Johnson and Lyon. 1988. Insects stricted than adults (Smith. 1932. United that Feed on Trees and Shrubs. Cornell Uni- States Department ofAgriculture. Technical versity Press, Ithaca, NY, 556 pp.). Several Bulletin 325: 1-45; Essig 1933; Warnerand

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