GUILD DISTRIBUTION OF SOME TERMITES FROM CERRADO VEGETATION IN SOUTH-EAST BRAZIL

The distributional patterns and food preferences of some cerrado vegatation termines were studied in an area of 2500 m2 in south-east Brazil. All the termitaria were mapped and opened for identification of the species present. Their spatial distribution was studied using the nearest neighbour method (Clark & Evans 1954). We found 46 termine species in 450 nests. The majority of them were wood feeders. The general distribution of termitaria was regular. The distributional patterns of grass and litter feeders were not significantly different from a random distribution. Soil and organic matter feeders were contagiously distributed. The distribution of wood feeders was also contagious. Their spatial distribution was largely influenced by the distribution of the species Nasulitermes sp. 1 and Armilermes euamignathus. These two species occurred in two distinct patches, suggesting resource partitioning.