Male/Female (Size) Polyethism in Workers of Odontotermes distans Holmgren and Holmgren (Isoptera: Termitidae: Macrotermitinae)

McMahan, Elizabeth A.; Kumar, Sachin; Sen-Sarma, P. K.

doi:10.1093/aesa/77.4.429

Cited by 10 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…For example, in a fungus-growing termite, O . distans Holmgren and Holmgren, 94.8% of the individuals collected from feeding sites were major workers, and 95.1% of the individuals collected from queen chambers were minor workers 54 . Similarly, in another fungus-growing termite, Macrotermes subhyalinus Rambur, 88.8% of foragers were major workers, and 56.1% of individuals in the nest were minor workers 55 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Nematode-free agricultural system of a fungus-growing termite

Kanzaki

Liang

Chiu

et al. 2019

Sci Rep

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Fungus-growing termites forage dead plant materials from the field to cultivate symbiotic Termitomyces fungi in the nest. Termite foraging behavior and the entry of symbiotic arthropod inquilines may transfer nematodes into a nest and adversely affect fungus production. To test whether nematodes were transferred to fungus gardens by termites and inquilines, we examined the occurrence of nematodes in fungus gardens, five termite castes, and nine species of inquilines of a fungus-growing termite, Odontotermes formosanus . Our results revealed that nematodes were commonly carried by foraging termites and beetle inquilines. Numerous nematodes were found under the beetle elytra. No nematodes were found on termite larvae, eggs, and wingless inquilines. In addition, nematodes rarely occurred in the fungus garden. By observing the response of nematodes to three species of Termitomyces spp. and the fungus gardens, we confirmed that the fungus and fungus gardens are not actually toxic to nematodes. We suggest that nematodes were suppressed through grooming behavior and gut antimicrobial activity in termites, rather than through the antimicrobial activity of the fungus.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Nematode-free agricultural system of a fungus-growing termite

Kanzaki

Liang

Chiu

et al. 2019

Sci Rep

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“…Each fungus garden was subdivided into four horizontal quarters [ 18 ]. Termites on fungus gardens were collected, and minor workers were differentiated from the other castes based on their smaller head and thorax [ 28 , 29 ]. The top quarters of fungus gardens, which were fresh fungus garden and contain the largest number of fungal nodules [ 17 , 18 ], were collected and crushed into pieces for microscopic examination, using a mobile USB microscope (Model: UM12, Microlinks Technology Corp., Taiwan).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Body size of fungus-growing termites infers on the volume and density of their fungal cultivar

Chiu

Kuan

et al. 2023

R. Soc. open sci.

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The body size of an animal plays a crucial role in determining its trophic level and position within the food web, as well as its interactions with other species. In the symbiosis between Termitomyces and fungus-growing termites, termites rely on nutrition of fungal nodules produced by Termitomyces . To understand whether the size of termites and fungal nodules are related to their partner specificity, we quantified the size of termite farmer caste, and the size and density of nodules in termite nests of four genera of fungus-growing termites, and identified their cultivated Termitomyces fungus species based on internal transcribed spacer regions and partial large subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequences. The results showed that the size and density of fungal nodules were different among Termitomyces clades and revealed a constant trade-off between size and density among clades. The nodule size of each clade has low variation and fits normal distribution, indicating that size is a stabilized trait. Moreover, we found larger termite genera cultivated Termitomyces with larger but less numerous nodules. Based on these results, we concluded that there is a size specificity between Termitomyces and fungus-growing termites, which may lead to diversification of Termitomyces as adaptations to different termite genera.

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“…Recently we have showed that workers with medium head sizes are the major foraging workers in Odontotermes formosanus Shiraki [24]. As well McMahan et al 1984 attested that 96% of small workers are attending in queen chamber on the contrary 99% of large workers take part in foraging and 70% of them can be found around swarming sites exit holes [25]. Campora, and Grace at 2004 mentioned that the size plays a critical role in tunneling galleries.…”

Section: Size Polyethismmentioning

confidence: 98%

Polyethism in Termites

Soleymaninejadian¹,

Bao²,

Liu³

et al. 2014

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Polyethism or division of works among workers of social insects is always a hot issue among entomologists. Honey bees, ants, and wasps are the main target for scientists to study the division of works. Studying polyethism in termites has been increased recently due to the damages to the forests, buildings, boats and even water preserving monuments. Every year a huge amount of money is spent to control these isopteran social insects in the south east of Asia, the US, Australia and other tropical and subtropical regions. As understanding the polyethism in these social insects can be a hand in controlling them, in this review we have tried to explain different kinds of polyethism and their importance in these social insects.

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Male/Female (Size) Polyethism in Workers of Odontotermes distans Holmgren and Holmgren (Isoptera: Termitidae: Macrotermitinae)

Cited by 10 publications

References 0 publications

Nematode-free agricultural system of a fungus-growing termite

Nematode-free agricultural system of a fungus-growing termite

Body size of fungus-growing termites infers on the volume and density of their fungal cultivar

Polyethism in Termites

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