Indian Journal of Entomology
Open Access
SCOPUSWeb of Science
  • Year: 2025
  • Volume: 87
  • Issue: 4

Diversity of Termites in the Pamplemousses Botanical Garden, Mauritius

  • Author:
  • Florent Chopinet1,*, Sarita Balmokune2, Stephane Savriama1, Jany-Damien Cardia1
  • Total Page Count: 4
  • Published Online: Feb 18, 2026
  • Page Number: 803 to 806

1Regional Observatory of Termites Control, Reunion Island (French)

2Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden, Mauritius Island

*Email: florent.chopinet@cma-reunion.fr (corresponding author)

Online Published on 18 February, 2026.

Abstract

The Pamplemousses Botanical Garden, in Mauritius, is globally recognized for its floristic biodiversity, housing >8000 trees. However, this historic plant heritage is under constant pressure due to termite infestations. This study first sought to inventory the species of termites present, then to compare them to the results of previous studies. The study conducted in 2019 and 2022 identifies seven species Procryptotermes falcifer (Krishna), Postelectrotermes howa (Wasmann), Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann), Prorhinotermes canalifrons (Sjöstedt), Nasutitermes voeltzkowi (Moutia), Cryptotermes pallidus (Rambur). A new record of the Rhinotermitidae viz., Heterotermes malabaricus (Snyder) from Mauritian territory is documented.

Keywords

Heterotermes malabaricus, Termites, Rhinotermitidae, Kalotermitidae, Termitidae, Invasives species, Mauritius Island, Botanical Garden, Social insects, Inventory, Genus, Species, New record