Morphometric studies on the termite genus Odontotermes

Shorttitle: The present report is the first thorough study of morphometric variation of 50 species of the genus Odontotermes from Bangladesh, Burma, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore and Sri Lanka. In all 50 species, measurements of 10 parameters were taken and statistically analyzed. The fungus growing termite genus Odontotermes was selected for the present study because it is one of the largest termite genus, widely distributed in the Ethiopian and Oriental zoogeographical regions, of which 50 species are represented in Prof. Muzaffar Ahmad s Collection, presently in the custody of Prof. Dr. Muhammad Saeed Akhtar, Department of Zoology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. The morphometric analysis presented in this report will provide a standard of comparison for specimens from different localities of the range of distribution of that species and other species of the genus Odontotermes. Besides, camera photographs of the specimens have been presented to show variations in morphological attributes of various species.

Autorentext

i have 15 years teaching and research experience in Pakistan and completed my Masters degree in Zoology and PhD in Entomology Post Doctorate from Ohio State University,USA I am the author of first Monograph on Morphometricz studies on the termite genus Odontotermes and has 45 publications