A SPECIES DIVERSTIY OF TERMITES (ISOPTERA) IN SELECTED LOCALITIES IN KUCHING-KOTA SAMARAHAN DIVISION

This research aims to find out the number of termites species on three different habitats which are on the floor of lowland forest of UNIMAS; Reservoir Park Kuching and Asajaya Oil Palm Plantation, the relative abundance of the species, their foraging activities and preferable nesting type. The termites sampling was conducted along six transects which had two transects per habitat. Overall, the wood feeding termites were the richest species found in lowland forest of UNIMAS. A total of 26 species comprising 10 genera (Coptotermes, Schedorhinotermes, Macrotermes, Odontotermes, Prohamitermes, Homallotermes, Procapritermes, Pericaprtitermes, Nasutitermes, and Bulbitermes), two families and six subfamilies (Coptotermitidae, Termitogetninae, Macrotermitidae, Amitermitinae, Termitinae and Nasutitermitinae) were recorded. Of these, the termite from species Macrotermes gilvus was found in all six transects and considered as the most abundant species with 15 encountering while termites from family Termitidae dominated the assemblage of termites species. Foraging activities and behaviours were varied among the different species depending on the kind of food they consumed and can also be determined through their feeding group