natural, history

This termite is recorded from 'Rennell Island by HILL (1942). It appears to be generallyassociated with rotting wood. The soldiers show a fairly ~ide range in size, and thisappears to have led to their description as new species from islands far apart.Distribution:Samoa, Ninafoon (type).Nuutele Island, B. M. N. H. (P. A. BUXTON, 1924) det. G. F. HILL.Fiji, (HILL, 1926).Ellice Islands, Funafuti Island, B. M. N. H. (1924) det. G. F. HILL.Solomon Islands, Malanparna Island, B. M. N. H. (R. A. LEVER, 1934) det. G. F.HILL.Santa Cruz Island, (HILL, 1942).Marianne Islands, (HILL, 1942).Tonga, B. M. N. H. (8. A. O'CONNOR, 1949) det. W. V. HARRIS.Coptotermes grandiceps Snyder1925. J. Washington Acad. Sci. 15 : 401.Lavanggu (Dan. Exp.), a single soldier associated with Prorhinotermes inopinatus fromyoung forest; (No. L. 374, 21. x. 51).Hutuna (Brit. Exp.), nine alates and one soldier; (1. D. Bradley, 13. xi. 53).These agree with SNYDER'S description and with the measurements and rangegiven by HILL (1942).Distribution:Solomon Islands, Tulagi (type) & B. M. N. H. (R. A. LEVER, 1934).Malaita and Banika Islands, (HILL, 1942).Santa Cruz Archipelago, Vanikoro Island, (HILL, 1942).Microcerotermes biroi (Desneux)1905. Ann. Mus. Nat. Hungary 3 : 369.Lavanggu (Dan. Exp.), two soldiers and a number of workers from a nest which wasalso used as nest by a kingfisher; rain-forest (No. L. 353, 2. xi. 51),four alates and two soldiers from a nest which was also used as nest by a kingfisher,cultivated area (No. L. 357, 2. xi. 51),one alate and one soldier from rain forest (No. L. 372, 20. x. 51).Measurements:Alates (one male, one female)Width of head across eyesDiameter of eye1)iameter of ocellusrange.1.00 - 1.04 mm.0.25 - 0.270.07 X 0.04DESNEUX, type.27