The genus Microcerotermes (Isoptera : Termitidae) in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands

The genus Microcerotermes Silvestri is revised in an area covering New Guin ea, the Bismarck Islands and the Solomon Islands. The presence and status o f M. biroi (Desneux), M. papuanus Holmgren and M. repugnans Hill are confir med. Microcerotermes brevior (Desneux), formerly treated as a subspecies or a synonym of M. biroi, is raised to specific rank. Microcerotermes pilicep s Snyder, formerly considered a junior synonym of M. biroi, is recognised a s valid; M. umbritarsus Hill and M. froggatti Hill are transferred from the synonymy of M. biroi to that of M. piliceps. The Australian species, M. ta ylori Hill, is reported from southern New Guinea. Four new species: M. lulu ai, sp. nov., M. cupreiceps, sp. nov., M. bouilloni, sp. nov. and M. flyens is, sp. nov. are described. For each of the ten species recorded from our s tudy area, all castes are described or redescribed, diagnostic characters a re outlined, and a distribution map is given. Comparisons are also made wit h related species from adjacent regions. An identification key based on the soldier and worker castes, is provided. We hypothesise that the New Guinea Microcerotermes fauna is of mixed Australian/southeast Asian origin.