Abstract
The cuticular hydrocarbons of Reticulitermes from Japan and neighboring countries were identified and quantitated. Three distinct phenotypes were revealed by gas chromatography of hydrocarbons among five subspecies of R.speratus : (1) three subspecies from the Japanese mainland, (2) R.s.okinawanus, and (3) R.s. yaeyamanus. Hydrocarbon components of R. flaviceps flaviceps differed from those of R. f. amamianus. R. miyatakei. R. sp. 1, R. sp. 2, and R. sp. 3 have components specific to each species. The overall results revealed that there are nine cuticular hydrocarbon phenotypes in the genus Reticulitermes occurring in Japan and neighboring countries. It also appears that some morphological characters usually used in taxonomy are of little taxonomic value.
