KEY TO THE INDIAN SPECIES OF GLYPTOTERMES FROGGATT, 1897 (BASED ON SOLDIER CASTE)

1. Large species; frons sharply inclined in front at an angle of more than 65° .................................................... 2

— Small species; frons gradually inclined in front at an angle of 45°-50°............................................................ 4

2. Head much longer (1.7-1.85 times) than wide (head length to base of mandible 3.20-3.50 mm, head width 1.90-2.05 mm); mandibles long (1.48-1.58 mm), left mandible with 4 marginal teeth ................................... ................................................................................................. Glyptotermes tikaderi Chhotani & Bose, 1985

— Head not much longer (a little more than 1.5 times) than wide (head length to base of mandible 2.22-2.33 mm, head width 1.48-1.65 mm); mandibles short (1.00- 1.08 mm), left mandible with 3 marginal teeth ............. 3

3. Antennae 14 segmented; labrum subsquare, broader than long; postmentum long (1.78 mm), waist much narrower, postmentum contraction index 0.42; small species .............................................. G. taruni Bose, 1999

— Antennae 12 segmented; labrum tongue shaped, longer than wide; postmentum not much long (1.48-1.70 mm), waist comparatively wider, postmentum contraction index 0.47-0.52; large species ........................................ ........................................................................................................................ Glyptotermes chiraharitae n. sp.

4. Head capsule large and wide (head length to base of mandibles 1.93-2.27 mm, head width 1.25-1.40 mm); antennae 12-14 segmented.................................................................................... G. teknafensis Akhtar, 1975

— Head capsule small and narrow (head length to base of mandibles 1.18-1.73 mm, head width 0.88-1.20 mm); antennae 8-12 segmented............................................................................................................................. 5

5. Head width less than 1.00 mm ..................................................................................................................... 6

— Head width more than 1.00 mm .................................................................................................................. 7

6. Ocelli absent; epicranial suture faintly distinct or sometime absent; antennae 10-11 segmented...................... .............................................................................................................................. G. ukhiaensis Akhtar, 1975

— Ocelli present; epicranial suture distinct; antennae 8-10 segmented ..................... G. tripurensis Thakur, 1975

7. Antero-lateral corners of head sharply pointed in font .................................................................................. 8

— Antero-lateral corners of head rounded and not pointed in font ................................................................... 9

8. Margin between 2nd and 3rd marginal teeth of left mandible sharp, angularly incurved; postmentum wide at waist (width at waist 0.19-0.27 mm ......................................... G. coorgensis (Holmgren & Holmgren, 1917)

— Margin between 2 nd and 3 rd marginal teeth of left mandible not sharp and roundly incurved; postmentum narrow at waist (width at waist 0.16-0.20 mm) ............................................................ G. sensarmai Maiti, 1976

9. Head comparatively wide (head width index 0.67-0.77); epicranial suture incomplete; postmentum wide (maximum width of postmentum 0.40-0.43 mm) ....................................................... G. almorensis Gardner, 1945

— Head comparatively narrow (head width index 0.59-0.66); epicranial suture complete; postmentum narrow (maximum width of postmentum 0.30-0.37 mm) ....................... G. nicobarensis Maiti & Chakraborty, 1981