Species status ofIncisitermesspp. (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae) in Japan

Abstract The species status of Japanese populations of Incisitermes immigrans from Iwo and Minami Daito Islands was examined using mitochondrial 16S molecular barcode sequences. The molecular sequences of these two populations were compared to those of other Incisitermes spp. deposited in the GenBank database using a maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis. This analysis suggested that the Minami Daito population is indeed I. schwarzi , as suspected previously, while the sequence of the Iwo Island population was identical to that of authentic I. immigrans . In addition to I. minor , which is recorded from middle and southern Japan, the presence of three Incisitermes species in Japan was confirmed.