Population Structure of the Drywood Termite Incisitermes schwarzi (Blattodea: Kalotermitidae) in the Caribbean

West Indian animal distributions are shaped by overwater dispersal in the current, Cenozoic Era as well as other dispersion methods dating back many more years (Hedges 2001). Termites, specifically, have distributions in the Caribbean shaped by a combination of dry land connections in the late Pleistocene, floating wood debris, and human commerce patterns (Scheffrahn et al. 2006, Evans et al. 2013). Floating wood pieces, termed flotsam, are required for termite dispersal across bodies of water because of their poor long-distance flying ability (Scheffrahn et al. 2006). Additionally, since termites mate after locating a resource following their flight, two individuals must each fly the long distances required and then locate each other, a feat unlikely to occur (Scheffrahn et al. 2009). This onerous task is lessened in species capable of parthenogenesis, a trait currently known in only 14 termite species (Matsuura 2010, Fougeyrollas et al. 2015, 2017, Fournier et al. 2016, Yashiro et al. 2018, Hellemans et al. 2019). However, recent studies have found parthenogenesis across various lineages (Yashiro et al. 2018, Hellemans et al. 2019), suggesting that this trait may be widespread in termites. Termites are easily transported by human commerce because they cryptically forage in wood, a commodity that is globally traded and transported (Evans et al. 2013). Marine vessels have ferried termites across great distances for the past 500 years (Hochmair & Scheffrahn 2010). In Florida, the distributions of invasive Coptotermes spp. are significantly aggregated around marine docks (Hochmair & Scheffrahn 2010). Termite alates from mature colonies established on boats have been reported in harbors (Scheffrahn&Crowe 2011), helping to explain how easily termite species have been spread around the globe. Drywood termites (Kalotermitidae) make up nearly a third of known invasive species of termites (nine out of 28; Evans et al. 2013) and are easily transported