Coptotermes gestroi
| Coptotermes gestroi | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Blattodea |
| Infraorder: | Isoptera |
| Family: | Rhinotermitidae |
| Genus: | Coptotermes |
| Species: | C. gestroi |
| Binomial name | |
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Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann, 1896) |
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| Synonyms | |
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Coptotermes gestroi, the Asian subterranean termite is a small species of termite that lives underground. Both this species and the Formosan subterranean termite, (Coptotermes formosanus) are destructive pests native to Asia, but have spread to other parts of the world including the United States. In Asia, this species is known as the Philippine milk termite.
The termite species Coptotermes havilandi was determined by Kirton and Brown in 2003 to be identical to Coptotermes gestroi, so following the principle of priority, the older name is now used.
C. gestroi is endemic to Southeast Asia, but has spread to many other parts of the world over the course of the last century. It reached the Marquesas Islands in 1932, Mauritius in 1936, and Réunion in 1957. It reached Barbados in 1937 and spread to many islands in the West Indies. It also occurs in southern Mexico. It was discovered in Fiji in 2009.
It was found in a single house in Hawaii in 1963 and was next detected there in 1999 and again in 2000, on the island of Oahu. The species is the subject of a research project at the University of Hawaii.
In 1996, a colony was found to be infesting a church and store in Miami, Florida, and another infestation was discovered in 1999 in Key West. Further discoveries were made in 2002 and 2006 and the species appears to have become established in Broward and Dade Counties. It has also been found on some boats moored off the coast of Florida and it is thought that the termite may have arrived in Florida via this means, with sexually mature adults reaching the mainland after nuptial flights. In the West Indies, it has become established in some natural woodland habitats, but in Florida, it seems to be restricted to manmade structures, trees growing close to them, and boats. In the mainland United States, this species is likely to remain restricted to southern Florida because it is a tropical species and can only flourish with sufficient warmth.
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Wikipedia