New records of termite species (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae, Termitidae) from southern India.

There are 133 species of termites so far recorded from southern India and 73 from Kerala. The present study from different habitats in northern Kerala recorded two species new to southern India and one species new to Kerala, taking the total number to 135 for southern India and 76 for Kerala. The newly reported species are Heterotermes balwanti Mathur & Chhotani, 1969, Odontotermes profeae Akhtar, 1975, and Microcerotermes annandalei Silvestri, 1923. O. profeae is a new record to the termite fauna of Western Ghats. O. profeae and M. annandalei are reported for the first time from southern India. O. profeae and M. annandalei belong to type II feeding group while H. balwanti confines to type I feeding group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]