Taxonomy of Glyptotermes (Isoptera, Kalotermitidae) in Japan with Reference to Cuticular Hydrocarbon Analysis as Chemotaxonomic Characters

The cuticular hydrocarbons of 4 species of GZyptotermes from Japan were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and the relative abundances of cuticular hydrocarbons were measured using mass spectrometry. It was found that G. fuscus, G. satsumensis and G. rzakajimcri have different hydrocarbon compositions, respectively, and that G. kushimensis has the same components as those of G. nakajimai. This suggests that G. nakujimai and G. kushimensis are the same species. Based on this results together with morphological observation, a new taxonomy of Japanese Glyptotermes is proposed, in which G. kushimerzsis and G. kodamai are synonymized with G. nakajimai.