Cuticular Hydrocarbons of Reticulitermes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) from Northern California Indicate Undescribed Species

Abstract

Cuticular hydrocarbon mixtures of Reticulitermes samples from disparate locations in northern California were characterized and correlated with species determinations. Literature records indicate that there are two extant species of Reticulitermes in northern California: Reticulitermes hesperus Banks and R. tibialis Banks. We identified five distinct hydrocarbon phenotypes in Reticulitermes from northern California. Termites were diagnosed morphologically as R. tibialis for all five cuticular hydrocarbon phenotypes based on available keys to soldiers. Commonly accepted distributions of Reticulitermes in northern California indicate that our primary collection sites should only produce R. hesperus. On the basis of cuticular hydrocarbons alone we suggest that there are two or more undescribed taxa of Reticulitermes in northern California, or that described species of Reticulitermes occur in northern California, but have never been noticed before. Therefore, we conclude that the taxonomy of Reticulitermes in North America is in need of revision.