ASSESSMENT OF BIODIVERSITY OF TERMITES AND THEIR DAMAGED TREES IN A SERNI-ARID TROPICAL URBAN SYSTEMCh. Sammaiah and M. Vikram ReddyAbstract Biodiversity of termites and their damaged trees both fruit-bearing and ornamental, were assessed in a semi-arid tropical urban system,Warangal in Southcentral India. Eight species of termites belong to two families were recorded damaging 4 I species of trees.Among the termites, Coptotermes ceylonicus was the major damaging species and Cocos nucifera, Eucalyptus spp., and Mangifera indica were found with maximum termite damage. C. ceylonicus attacked stems, branches and dead portion of living plants. Its damage was confined to the inside sap and heart wood that was hollowed out and filled with carton material. Odontotermes spp. attacked basal portion of the tree-trunk covering with earthensheet and in some cases extended upto the branches and damaged upto the sap wood in both living and dead trees, filling the damaged part with soil. Microcerotermes ganeshi attacked live trees and formed irregular earthen runways of blackish brown colour on the inner heart wood of the stem. Microtermes obesi attacked both living and dead plants and damaged the stems filling with soil.
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