Heterospecific detection of host alarm cues by an inquiline termite species (Blattodea: Isoptera: Termitidae)

Cristaldo, Paulo F.; Rodrigues, Vinícius Barros; Elliot, Simon L.; Araújo, Ana Paula Albano; DeSouza, Og

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.07.025

Cited by 25 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…It is tempting to consider these results as revealing a kind of “protection mutualism” (sensu Janzen, ) between ants and their host termites, such a mutualism being more and more intense with increasing disturbance. Such an idea finds support on earlier literature reporting that mutual defense of termitaria can be performed by cohabiting ants (Higashi & Ito, ) but not necessarily by cohabiting termite species (Cristaldo, Araújo, et al., ; Cristaldo, Rodrigues, et al., ). A similar protective role for predatory termitophiles has been already inferred by de Visser, Freymann, and Schnyder () who have shown termitophile spiders (Arachnida) to not feed on termites directly, but on termitophagous invertebrates within the termitaria.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

“…Such an ameliorated habitat would also be formed if disturbance had enhanced tolerance or weakened defensive powers of the builder termite colony. This would seem plausible as stress, at least in the form of resource deprivation, attenuates intercolonial aggressivity and enhances neighbor tolerance in termites (Cristaldo, Araújo, et al., ; Cristaldo, Rodrigues, et al., ), easing colony fusion (Korb & Foster, ; Korb & Roux, ) and cooperative nest defense (Shellman Reeve, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Whereas mutual nest defense is not a rule among cohabiting termite species (Cristaldo, Rodrigues, Elliot, Araújo, & DeSouza, 2016), it has been reported quite convincingly for termitaria-inhabiting ants (Higashi & Ito, 1989). Accordingly, in other symbiotic interactions, ants can act as biotic defenders; e.g., in ant-plant interactions, ants protect plants against herbivores and parasites (Janzen, 1966) and this effect is pronounced in nesting sites permanently inhabited by colonies of ants (Rosumek et al, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Arriving at a termite nest by no means guarantees establishment, as immigrants have to face local restrictions in the form of antagonistic interactions with the resident species, including termites (Marins et al., ) and other termitophiles such as ants (Higashi & Ito, ). Whereas mutual nest defense is not a rule among cohabiting termite species (Cristaldo, Rodrigues, Elliot, Araújo, & DeSouza, ), it has been reported quite convincingly for termitaria‐inhabiting ants (Higashi & Ito, ). Accordingly, in other symbiotic interactions, ants can act as biotic defenders; e.g., in ant–plant interactions, ants protect plants against herbivores and parasites (Janzen, ) and this effect is pronounced in nesting sites permanently inhabited by colonies of ants (Rosumek et al., ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Disturbance‐modulated symbioses in termitophily

Monteiro

Viana‐Júnior

Solar

et al. 2017

Ecology and Evolution

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Symbiosis, the living‐together of unlike organisms, underlies every major transition in evolution and pervades most ecological dynamics. Among examples of symbioses, the simultaneous occupation of a termite nest by its builder termites and intruding invertebrate species (so‐called termitophily) provides suitable macroscopic scenarios for the study of species coexistence in confined environments. Current evidence on termitophily abounds for dynamics occurring at the interindividual level within the termitarium, but is insufficient for broader scales such as the community and the landscape. Here, we inspect the effects of abiotic disturbance on termitophile presence and function in termitaria at these broader scales. To do so, we censused the termitophile communities inhabiting 30 termitaria of distinct volumes which had been exposed to increasing degrees of fire‐induced disturbance in a savanna‐like ecosystem in southeastern Brazil. We provide evidence that such an abiotic disturbance can ease the living‐together of termitophiles and termites. Putative processes facilitating these symbioses, however, varied according to the invader. For nonsocial invaders, disturbance seemed to boost coexistence with termites via the habitat amelioration that termitaria provided under wildfire, as suggested by the positive correlation between disturbance degree and termitophile abundance and richness. As for social invaders (ants), disturbance seemed to enhance associational defenses with termites, as suggested by the negative correlation between the presence of ant colonies and the richness and abundance of other termitarium‐cohabiting termitophiles. It is then apparent that disturbance‐modulated distinct symbioses in these termite nests.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Disturbance‐modulated symbioses in termitophily

Monteiro

Viana‐Júnior

Solar

et al. 2017

Ecology and Evolution

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“…coxipoensis were attracted to allocolonial odor cues that they were previously exposed (Figure ). The use of interindividual/interspecific cues to obtain own benefits, such as access to resource or information about risk, has already been demonstrated for a range of animals (e.g., Binz, Foitzik, Staab, & Menzel, ; Goodale, Beauchamp, Magrath, Nieh, & Ruxton, ; Silverman, Veit, & Nevitt, ), including termites (Cristaldo, Araújo, et al, ; Cristaldo, Rodrigues, Elliot, Araújo, & DeSouza, ; Evans et al, ). Although the use of allocolonial foraging cues is still an unexplored subject in termites (but see Cristaldo, ), the attraction of allocolonial odor cues observed here strongly indicates that termites could use this cues to access new food sources.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Attraction and vibration: Effects of previous exposure and type of food resource in the perception of allocolonial odors in termites

et al. 2018

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Social insects have an efficient recognition system that guarantees social cohesion and protection against intruders in their colonies and territories. However, the energy costs in constant conflicts with neighboring colonies could promote a reduction in the fitness of colonies. Here, we evaluated the effect of previous exposure to allocolonial odor and the consumption of similar food resources on aggressive behavior and choice of allocolonial cues in Nasutitermes aff. coxipoensis (Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae). Our results showed that intercolonial aggressiveness was not affected by previous exposure to allocolonial odor and by the consumption of similar food resources. However, individuals previously exposed to allocolonial odor were more attracted to these odors than individuals who had no prior exposure to allocolonial odor. In addition, individuals from colonies of N. aff. coxipoensis that use similar food resources increased alertness via a greater number of vibration than individuals who consumed different food resources. In general, our results indicate that colonies of N. aff coxipoensis perceive allocolonial cues that have been previously exposed and that the consumption of similar resources triggers an alert signal between individuals. Additional studies are necessary to assess how widespread this capacity of perception is present among the different Isoptera groups and the consequences of colony recognition odor cues on termite space use.

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Nonaggressive behavior: A strategy employed by an obligate nest invader to avoid conflict with its host species

Hugo

Cristaldo

DeSouza

2020

Ecology and Evolution

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In addition to its builders, termite nests are known to house a variety of secondary opportunistic termite species so‐called inquilines, but little is known about the mechanisms governing the maintenance of these symbioses. In a single nest, host and inquiline colonies are likely to engage in conflict due to nestmate discrimination, and an intriguing question is how both species cope with each other in the long term. Evasive behaviour has been suggested as one of the mechanisms reducing the frequency of host‐inquiline encounters, yet, the confinement imposed by the nests' physical boundaries suggests that cohabiting species would eventually come across each other. Under these circumstances, it is plausible that inquilines would be required to behave accordingly to secure their housing. Here, we show that once inevitably exposed to hosts individuals, inquilines exhibit nonthreatening behaviours, displaying hence a less threatening profile and preventing conflict escalation with their hosts. By exploring the behavioural dynamics of the encounter between both cohabitants, we find empirical evidence for a lack of aggressiveness by inquilines towards their hosts. Such a nonaggressive behaviour, somewhat uncommon among termites, is characterised by evasive manoeuvres that include reversing direction, bypassing and a defensive mechanism using defecation to repel the host. The behavioural adaptations we describe may play an important role in the stability of cohabitations between host and inquiline termite species: by preventing conflict escalation, inquilines may improve considerably their chances of establishing a stable cohabitation with their hosts.

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Heterospecific detection of host alarm cues by an inquiline termite species (Blattodea: Isoptera: Termitidae)

Cited by 25 publications

References 45 publications

Disturbance‐modulated symbioses in termitophily

Disturbance‐modulated symbioses in termitophily

Attraction and vibration: Effects of previous exposure and type of food resource in the perception of allocolonial odors in termites

Nonaggressive behavior: A strategy employed by an obligate nest invader to avoid conflict with its host species

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