MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF POPULATION SAMPLES OF SOLDIER CASTE OF ODONTOTERMES JAVANICUS HOLMGREN (ISOPTERA: TERMITIDAE, MACROTERMITINAE)

Abstract

In order to study morphometric Variations in Odontotermes javanicus Holmgren,. Samples from five different nests were statistically analysed for mean, standard deviation, standard error, coefficient of variability and confidence interval (95/) and analysis of variance (Model II ANOVA), The mean values of the different population samples were compared with the help of student ‘t’ test according to Minitab version and Sokal and Rohlf [1973]. In the study of external characters, measurements form a very important component particularly for identification of species. However, the reliability of the measurements depends on the extent of variability which the structures show within and between colonies.
For each individual soldier, the following nine parameters were measured: i) Length of head to side base of mandibles ii) Width of head at side base of mandibles iii) Width of head at the posterolateral ends of antennal carinae iv) Maximum width of Head v) Length of left mandible vi) Tooth of left mandible from tip vii) Length of Pronotum viii) Width of Pronotum ix) Length of Postmentum x) Width of postmentum.
This study was carried out in the Department of Zoology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.