Species Composition of Termites (Isoptera) in Lowland Forest UNIMAS, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak

This research aims to find out the species composition of termite species in two habitats in Universiti Malaysia Sarawak using transect methods. The relative abundance of species, as well as their nesting type and foraging activities were investigated. The termite’s sampling was conducted along four transects with two transects placed per habitat. Overall, the wood-feeding termites were the richest species collected in Arboretum of UNIMAS. A total of 18 species comprising of 13 genera (Coptotermes, Prorhinotermes, Schedorhinotermes, Globitermes, Microcerotermes, Pericapritermes, Dicuspiditermes, Macrotermes, Odontotermes, Hypotermes, Nasutitermes, Bulbitermes, and Hospitalitermes), and two families were recorded. Of these, termite from species Coptotermes curvignathus was found in all transects and considered the most abundant species with 28 encountered. Termite from the family Rhinotermitidae dominated the assemblages of termite’s species. Foraging actions differed across species based on the type of food ingested and can also be affected by their feeding group