Nest structure and colony composition of two neotropical mound-building termites (Blattaria: Termitidae: Nasutitermes coxipoensis and Cortaritermes intermedius)

Abstract

On the island of Trinidad, West Indies the mound-nesting Nasutitermes coxipoensus and Cortaritermes intermedius (Nasutitermitinae) are each only known from one distinct savanna habitat. The former builds larger nests that harbourlarger colonies. Consistent with what is known from other nasutitermitines, the proportion of soldiers in the colony is high in each species: 11-15% of adults in most N. coxipoensis and 7-19% in C. intermedius colonies. While this shows no correlation with overall colony size in N. coxipoensis, we found a negative correlation between these two parameters in C. intermedius. Consistent with what has been found in some mound-nesting fungus-gardening termites (Macrotermitinae), mounds of both species showed a higher concentration of some elements and organic matter than in the surrounding surface soil.