Odontotermes assmuthi explained

The sugarcane termite (Odontotermes assmuthi) is a species of termite of the genus Odontotermes. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. It is recorded from coconut palms and is a pest of sugarcane.^[1]

Description

General body color is creamy with darker head. Workers can be seen foraging in both morning and evening.^[2]

It is a major pest of sugar cane, where attacked canes can be wilted and then dieback occurs. Semi-circular feeding marks on the leaves are characteristic marks left by the termite. Aspergillus flavus known to have termiticidal activity against O. assmuthi.^[3]

External links

• Kushwaha . K. S. . Chaetotaxy of the termite,odontotermes assmuthi Holmgren (Isoptera: Termitidae) . Proceedings of the Indian Academy of Sciences . 1 September 1961 . 54 . 3 . 130–137 . 10.1007/BF03051896 . 82471750 .
• Basalingappa . S . Degeneration of thoracic muscles in sexual forms of Odontotermes assmuthi Holmgren (Termitidae : Isoptera) following swarming and colony establishment. . Entomon . 1982 . 7 . 1 . 63–64 .
• Manzoor . F. . Akhtar . M. S. . Morphometric variations in termite Odontotermes assmuthi Holmgren . Punjab University Journal of Zoology . 2002 . 17 . 162–173 .
• Saha . Nivedita . Mazumdar . Prahlad C. . Basak . Jayati . Raha . Angshuman . Majumder . Amitava . Chandra . Kailash . Subterranian [sic] termite genus Odontotermes (Blattaria: Isoptera: Termitidae) from Chhattisgarh, India with its annotated checklist and revised key . Journal of Threatened Taxa . 26 March 2016 . 8 . 3 . 8602–8610 . 10.11609/jott.2654.8.3.8602-8610 . free .
• Basalingappa . S . Badami . R C . Kudari . S M . The gross fatty acid composition of the body fat from the termite (Odontotermes assmuthi) queen . Biochemical Journal . June 1972 . 128 . 1 . 44P–45P . 10.1042/bj1280044pc . 5085612 . 1173679 .
• Basalingappa . S. . Hegde . S. N. . The probable significance of the differential occurrence of protein in various castes of the termite Odontotermes assmuthi (Isoptera: Termitidae) . Experientia . July 1974 . 30 . 7 . 758–759 . 10.1007/BF01924169 . 4847657 . 22905268 .
• Thakur . M. L. . New Observations on the Swarming Behaviour in Nature in Odontotermes assmuthi Holmgren (Isoptera: Termitidae) . Indian Forester . 104 . 9 . 1978 . 638 .

Notes and References

1. Web site: An annotated checklist of termites (Isoptera) from Sri Lanka . National Science Foundation . 15 February 2017.
2. Web site: Odontotermes assmuthi Holmgren, 1913; Common Name: Sugarcane Termites . ICAR-NBAIR . 15 February 2017.
3. Web site: Termites in sugarcane . Agropedia . 15 February 2017.