Mate finding in a mimetic termitophile amidst its host termites

Abstract

The awesome variety of organisms using disguises to bypass harmful interactions readily reminds us that Darwin's "struggle for life" concept does not necessarily mean belligerence. Rather than engaging in open contests, these organisms negotiate their eco-evolutionary success copying animate or inanimate "models," thereby concealing themselves from, or deceiving, their potential contenders. The dupes are thence expected to develop ways to unmask their disguising counterparts (the "mimics") and that would set a disguisedetection arms race.The absence of overt hostility, however, does not rule out costs. Among these costs, one can be frequently overlooked:excess resemblance to the model may compromise intraspecific recognition for the mimic. Mimics could hence experience reduced fitness if their transparency affects mate encounters. This sounds particularly problematic for the interlopers of social insects who mimic hosts while obligatorily living and mating within the host nest. In such cases, the host functions as both a model and a dupe, convoluting arms races. Mimics, in their turn, face the need to recurrently balance social integration with the preservation of their own identity.Striking cases are provided by Staphylinidae beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) closely resembling their ant and termite hosts (Howard et al., 1980;Maruyama & Parker, 2017). Among these, Corotoca spp. (Aleocharinae: Corotocini) are outstanding in morpho-chemical congruence to their termite hosts (Constrictotermes cyphergaster; Blattaria: Isoptera: Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae) and their

When one does not want, two fight less: low mobility and similar odors result in peaceful interspecific encounters in termites

“…The cohabitation of different species in a single nest are commonly reported to be mediated by chemical cues (Sledge et al 2001;Castiblanco et al 2022). The cohesion of eusocial insect colonies (e.g., termites, ants, bees, and wasps) is maintained by the perception of cuticular hydrocarbons, which is a key factor in the discrimination between nestmates and non-nestmates (Saïd et al 2005; D'ettorre and Lenoir 2012; Sturgis and Gordon 2012).…”

Interações ecológicas em colônias de cupins: Astigmatídeos (Acari) e Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) termitófilos

“…Os ninhos de cupins são locais de reprodução e desenvolvimento para vários organismos associados, os chamados termitófilos incluindo besouros (Castiblanco et al, 2022;Costa & Vanin, 2010;, vespas (Hugo et al, 2020), moscas (Cumming, 1996) e ácaros (Eickwort, 1990). Os ambientes estáveis e ricos em recursos dos ninhos de cupins têm sido considerados relevantes para a manutenção de outras espécies .…”