Comparative Study of the Labial Gland Secretion in Termites (Isoptera)

Sillam‐Dussès, David; Krasulová, Jana; Vrkoslav, Vladimír; Pytelková, Jana; Cvačka, Josef; Kutalová, Kateřina; Bourguignon, Thomas; Miura, Toru; Šobotník, Jan

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0046431

Cited by 31 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…The frontal gland was thought to be the only source of alarm pheromones in termites (Pasteels and Bordereau 1998;Šobotník et al 2010a), but it is absent in M. darwiniensis. Our analyses confirmed the presence of p-benzoquinone in M. darwiniensis soldiers, but no volatiles were detected in workers although they are known to produce p-benzoquinone as well (Sillam-Dussès et al 2012). The concentration of p--benzoquinone in worker secretion was probably lower, making it more difficult to detect with gas chromatography and SPME.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 63%

“…In order to decipher the chemical alarm signalling of M. darwiniensis and to confirm the composition of volatiles released by termites (see Moore 1968 andSillam-Dussès et al 2012), we carried out two chemical analyses. Firstly, we prepared extracts using five termites from each caste (workers and soldiers treated independently), which were cut at the level of prothorax, submerged into hexane and stored overnight at 4°C.…”

Section: Chemical Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Complex alarm strategy in the most basal termite species

Delattre

Sillam‐Dussès

Jandák

et al. 2015

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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Studying basal taxa often allows shedding a light on the evolution of advanced representatives. The most basal termite species, Mastotermes darwiniensis, possesses unique morphological and behavioural traits, of which many remain scarcely studied. For these reasons, we conducted a comprehensive study of the alarm communication in this species and compared its components to behavioural modes described in other termites. In M. darwiniensis, the alarm is communicated by substrate-borne vibrations resulting from vertical vibratory movements. Another similar behaviour consists in longitudinal movements, by which the alarm is delivered to other termites in contact with alerted individual. Both these two behavioural modes could be used in synergy to create complex movements. M. darwiniensis also uses chemical alarm signals produced by labial gland secretion, in contrast to Neoisoptera in which this function is fulfilled exclusively by the frontal gland secretion. Moreover, we demonstrated in M. darwiniensis the presence of a positive feedback mechanism thought to occur exclusively in the crown group Termitidae. This positive feedback consists in both oscillatory movements of alerted individuals in response to alarm signals and release of alarm pheromone by excited soldiers. Our results confirm that M. darwiniensis is a remarkable example of mosaic evolution, as it combines many primitive and advanced features, and its alarm communication clearly belongs to the latter category.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 63%

Section: Chemical Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Complex alarm strategy in the most basal termite species

Delattre

Sillam‐Dussès

Jandák

et al. 2015

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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“…It has been shown in a number of species that aggregation is mediated by the saliva secreted from the labial (salivary) glands (Kaib and Ziesmann 1992;Reinhard and Kaib 1995;Sillam-Dussès et al 2012). Hydroquinone has been identified as the active chemical in the saliva and is thought to be the foodmarking pheromone and a general phagostimulant in termites (Reinhard and Kaib 2001b;.…”

Section: Foraging and Food Markingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Communication and Social Regulation in Termites

Bagnères

Hanus

2015

Social Recognition in Invertebrates

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Communication and social regulation are among the distinguishing features of termites: they are part of all basic aspects of termite biology, from ontogeny and caste differentiation to social behavior and cooperation. As in other highly social taxa, communication in termites predominantly relies on a complex network of chemical signals, which are complemented by vibration-based signals. In contrast to other social taxa, the role of visual cues is negligible. In this chapter, we review the recent literature on the different components that make up termite communication and social regulation systems by tracing termite evolution and examining the role played by different factors, such as sex and caste, and different behaviors, such as those related to defense, nestmate recognition, egg and brood care, foraging, and nest building, among others. The main characteristics of termites are compared to those of other social insects in the introduction. In the first section, we review the most important researches on termite communication and social regulation that are related to social activities in the basal phylogenetic lineages, and in the Termitidae (higher termites), the most advanced and diversified family. The abundant literature on the best studied genera, Reticulitermes, Coptotermes, and Heterotermes, which are considered for the purposes of this chapter to be intermediate termites, is reviewed and discussed separately in the second section. By using this approach, we seek to describe communication and social regulation systems in basal and primitive termites and illustrate how they have evolved to become more complex in intermediate and higher termites.

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“…The frontal gland, present in all Neoisoptera, produces defensive compounds and alarm pheromones ( Sobotník et al, 2010a). The secretion of the workers' labial glands reveals several functions connected to feeding (including food marking pheromone, phagostimulant, digestive enzymes and food for dependent castes), but also serves as a cement used for nest building (Noirot, 1969;Reinhard et al, 2002); soldiers produce certain part of the defensive secretions in their labial glands (Sillam-Duss es et al, 2012). Finally, several of the other described exocrine glands are specific to a few species, such as the defensive glands of Ruptitermes or Neocapritermes involved in the selfsacrifice of its carrier through autothysis (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%