A new species of termite, Prorhinotermes cotym (Blattodea: Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae: Prorhinotermitinae), from the Kerala part of the western ghats, India.

Genus Prorhinotermes Silvestri (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) is very rare in India, known by single species Prorhinotermes flavus. After three decades, a new species Prorhinotermes cotym Joseph, Amina and Mathew sp.nov, is described from the Kerala part of the Western Ghats, India. The genus Prorhinotermes is documented for the first time from Kerala. Morphological measurements of the soldiers and workers are given with suitable illustrations. Cytochrome oxidase II gene subunit was sequenced based on which phylogenetic analysis was carried out. A revised key to the species of Prorhinotermes (based on soldier caste) found in India with the species distribution map is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]