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Abstract
Reticulitermes subterranean termites are recognized globally as important economic pests as well as ecosystem engineers that are notoriously challenging to identify to species. A reorganization of this genus would greatly benefit Reticulitermes taxonomy, but in the interim, it has been recommended to identify specimens by combining molecular, morphological, and behavioral data to increase confidence in species designations. This dissertation examines methods used in an integrative taxonomic approach [ITA] to identify Reticulitermes including subjective morphological characters associated with soldier mandibles, dichotomous keys to the adult stage, flight phenology, and molecular markers to highlight the distribution and abundance of these important pests in their endemic range. The first section of the dissertation examines the feasibility and cost savings of identifying three Reticulitermes species using subjective morphological characters associated with the soldier caste. The second section examines the abundance, biodiversity, and distribution of Reticulitermes in the southeastern USA using integrative phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial DNA gene sequence and geospatial information systems (GIS). While the third examines sequence data from two mtDNA genes toidentify basic biological attributes of these maternally inherited molecular markers in this genus of ubiquitous ecosystem engineers.