Development of microsatellite markers for colony delineation of the invasive Asian subterranean termite (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae) in South Florida and Taiwan

Abstract

The Asian subterranean termite, Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann) (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae), is a major pest of wooden structures. Native to Southeast Asia, it has successfully invaded various regions worldwide. Developing a molecular technique for colony delineation is critical to evaluate the efficacy of subterranean termite baiting systems against C. gestroi. This study has assessed the robustness of 19 newly developed microsatellite loci for colony delineation of the invasive C. gestroi in both South Florida and Taiwan. Our results suggest that at least nine microsatellite markers, each with two alleles per locus, can accurately distinguish all C. gestroi colonies with little genetic variation in South Florida. Conversely, only five microsatellite loci are needed to delineate C. gestroi colonies in Taiwan. Additionally, differences in colony breeding systems may affect genetic differentiation among C. gestroi colonies. Our study provides a practical genetic method to accurately identify colony affiliation of foragers, which will help in the field evaluation of baiting systems in areas invaded by C. gestroi.