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Termites
Kinds of Termites Terms modified by Termites Selected AbstractsEffect of termites on clay minerals in tropical soils: fungus-growing termites as weathering agentsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 4 2002P. Jouquet Summary Termites of the subfamily Macrotermitinae play an important role in tropical ecosystems: they modify the soil's physical properties and thereby make food available for other organisms. Clay is important in the architecture of Macrotermitinae termite nests, and it has been postulated that termites could modify the mineralogical properties of some clays. We have tested this hypothesis of clay transformation by termites in the laboratory under controlled conditions, using Odontotermes nr. pauperans termite species, one of the main fungus-growing species at Lamto Research Station (Côte d'Ivoire). Soil handled by termites in nest building was saturated with SrCl2, glycol or KCl and afterwards heated at 250°C for X-ray diffraction analyses. Termite handling led to an increase in the expandable layers of the component clay minerals. Heating and saturation by potassium of modified clays did not close the newly formed expandable clay layers. However, differences occurred between parts of the constructions built by termites, and the clays can be ranked according to their degree of alteration in the following order: unhandled soils < galleries < chamber walls. Consequently, termites can be seen as weathering agents of clay minerals, as previously shown for micro-organisms and plants. [source] A New Fossil Termite (Isoptera, Stolotermitidae, Stolotermes) from the Early Miocene of Otago, New ZealandACTA GEOLOGICA SINICA (ENGLISH EDITION), Issue 4 2010Uwe KAULFUSS Abstract: The forewing of a termite from Early Miocene lake sediments in Otago, southern New Zealand is figured and described. It exhibits the generic characters of the damp-wood termite Stolotermes Hägen, but differs from forewings of the known species in size and venation pattern and is described as Stolotermes kupe sp. nov. S. hupe represents the first confident record of fossil Stolotermitidae and extends the fossil record of the family back to the Early Miocene. It also is the first direct evidence of fossil Isoptera from New Zealand, though silicified termite faecal pellets, referable to Kalotermes brauni, have been previously described. S. kupe indicates that Stolotermitidae has been present in the Australasian region since at least the Early Miocene. [source] Spatial and temporal hotspots of termite-driven decomposition in the SerengetiECOGRAPHY, Issue 3 2010Bernd P. Freymann Ecosystem engineers are organisms that directly or indirectly control the availability of resources to other organisms by causing physical state changes in biotic or abiotic materials. Termites (Insecta, Isoptera) are among the most important ecosystem engineers in tropical ecosystems. We used a field experiment in the tall grasslands of Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, to investigate 1) the consumption by termites of grass litter and dung baits along the landscape gradient of catena position, and 2) seasonal variation in litter and dung removal. Our maps of termitaria and patterns of bait removal revealed clear spatial and temporal hotspots of termite activity. In the dry season termites removed more baits at the top-catena positions than at the bottom positions, but there was no effect of catena position in the wet season. Spatial hotspots of termite activity overlapped with those of both mammalian herbivores and predators. Within the framework of ecosystem engineering, this study suggests that intraspecific aspects of spatial heterogeneity and temporal variability deserve much greater consideration. [source] Effect of termites on clay minerals in tropical soils: fungus-growing termites as weathering agentsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 4 2002P. Jouquet Summary Termites of the subfamily Macrotermitinae play an important role in tropical ecosystems: they modify the soil's physical properties and thereby make food available for other organisms. Clay is important in the architecture of Macrotermitinae termite nests, and it has been postulated that termites could modify the mineralogical properties of some clays. We have tested this hypothesis of clay transformation by termites in the laboratory under controlled conditions, using Odontotermes nr. pauperans termite species, one of the main fungus-growing species at Lamto Research Station (Côte d'Ivoire). Soil handled by termites in nest building was saturated with SrCl2, glycol or KCl and afterwards heated at 250°C for X-ray diffraction analyses. Termite handling led to an increase in the expandable layers of the component clay minerals. Heating and saturation by potassium of modified clays did not close the newly formed expandable clay layers. However, differences occurred between parts of the constructions built by termites, and the clays can be ranked according to their degree of alteration in the following order: unhandled soils < galleries < chamber walls. Consequently, termites can be seen as weathering agents of clay minerals, as previously shown for micro-organisms and plants. [source] Survivorship, tunneling and feeding behaviors of Coptotermes formosanus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) in response to 2,-acetonaphthone-treated sandPEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE (FORMERLY: PESTICIDE SCIENCE), Issue 8 2004Sanaa A Ibrahim Abstract In laboratory tests, 2,-acetonaphthone was incorporated into sand at different concentrations (4.16,200 mg kg,1) and evaluated for survivorship, feeding and tunneling effects on the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki. 2,-Acetonaphthone at 8.33 mg kg,1 sand significantly reduced survivorship (89,94%), tunnel area (68,91%) and food consumption (84,100%) compared with the control. Most of the dead workers were found at the release point and a few had traveled to the surface of the treated sand. Malformed workers (,27%) with an unexpected symptom of molting failure were observed, particularly at the lowest concentration tested (4.16 mg kg,1). In choice assays, threshold concentration for significant reduction in survivorship, tunnel construction in treated sand and food consumption in the treated-sand side was 8.33 mg kg,1 with termites collected from New Orleans, LA and 35.0 mg kg,1 for those from Lake Charles, LA. Termites actively fed and tunneled in the untreated sand, whereas 2,-acetonaphthone at 140 mg kg,1 completely inhibited consumption of food placed on the treated sand. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Termites and fire: Current understanding and future research directions for improved savanna conservationAUSTRAL ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2010ANDREW B. DAVIES First page of article [source] Partitioning of temporal activity among desert lizards in relation to prey availability and temperatureAUSTRAL ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2010CHRISTOPHER E. GORDON Abstract Partitioning of activity time within ecological communities potentially reduces interspecific competition and increases the number of species that can coexist. We investigated temporal activity in a highly diverse lizard assemblage in the Simpson Desert, central Australia, to determine the degree of partitioning that occurs. Three periods were defined, daytime (sunrise to sunset), early night (sunset to midnight) and late night (midnight to sunrise), and live captures of lizards were tallied for each period during two sampling months (September and November 2007). We also quantified the activity times of potential invertebrate prey and measured ambient temperatures during the different time periods to investigate any associations between these factors and lizard activity. Some 77% of captures of 13 lizard species were made by day, with Ctenotus pantherinus, Egernia inornata (Scincidae) and Nephrurus levis (Gekkonidae) the only species showing extended nocturnal activity. Activity of both species of skink was recorded at temperatures 4°C lower than those for agamid and varanid lizards early in the night, and at temperatures as low as 18,20°C. Surface-active invertebrates differed in composition between time periods and were less abundant during the late night period in the drier of the two sample months (September), but were distributed equally over time in the other month. Termites were active in subterranean galleries at night in September and mostly by day in November, but available at all times on surface/subsurface baits. We conclude that activity is distributed unevenly within this lizard assemblage, with partitioning facilitated by the ready availability of invertebrate prey and by lizards having relatively broad temperature tolerances that, in some cases, permit opportunistic exploitation of resources beyond usual times of activity. [source] The termite (Isoptera) fauna of a monsoonal rainforest near Darwin, northern AustraliaAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 2 2005Tracy Z Dawes-Gromadzki Abstract, Termite species richness, frequency of occurrence and functional diversity at Holmes Jungle Nature Reserve, a monsoon rainforest patch in northern Australia, was investigated at the end of the wet season in 2003. A sampling protocol that employed direct search, soil pits and baiting techniques was used to sample litter, wood, mound, soil and arboreal nest microhabitats for termites. Five species from five genera and three families (Mastotermitidae, Rhinotermitidae and Termitidae) were recorded. This included the first record of Ephelotermes taylori (Hill) from monsoon forest in Australia. The family Termitidae was dominant and represented 70% of termite occurrences. Termites were most frequently encountered in carton runways on tree trunks, followed by lying dead wood and baits. Four nesting habits were represented: arboreal, epigeal, hypogeal and within wood. The arboreal nest-builder Nasutitermes graveolus (Hill) accounted for 61% of termite encounters. Epigeal mound-building species were rare. Wood-feeders were the only trophic group represented. Relatively high activity of Mastotermes darwiniensis Froggatt was recorded at baits within 2.5 months. The low species richness recorded at Holmes Jungle is consistent with the low diversity reported for Australian rainforests generally, but remains relatively depauperate compared with other monsoon forest and savanna habitats of the Northern Territory. [source] The male postabdomen of Stolotermes inopinus: a termite with unusually well-developed external genitalia (Dictyoptera: Isoptera: Stolotermitinae)ACTA ZOOLOGICA, Issue 2 2000Klaus-Dieter Klass Abstract Klass, K.-D., Thorne, B. L. and Lenz, M. 2000. The male postabdomen of Stolotermes inopinus: a termite with unusually well-developed external genitalia (Dictyoptera: Isoptera: Stolotermitinae). ,Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 81: 121,130 Stolotermes inopinus has large external male genitalia (phallic lobe), which contrast with the small genital papillae or lack of external genitalia of other Isoptera. As in the genital papilla of Mastotermesdarwiniensis, a ventral sclerite pair is present, the gonopore is located ventroterminally on the phallic lobe, and the genital area is entirely symmetrical , suggesting that this may be the groundplan condition of Isoptera. The relations of the phallic lobe to surrounding components like the subgenital plate, paraprocts, and certain muscles and nerves indicate that the lobe of S. inopinus is homologous with the phallomeres of other Dictyoptera. The bilateral symmetry and simple structure, however, are in strong contrast to the asymmetry and high complexity found in male genitalia of Blattaria and Mantodea. The postabdominal nervous system of S. inopinus resembles that of the cockroach Periplaneta americana. Indications are given that the Stolotermitinae are related to the Kalotermitidae, Rhinotermitidae, and Termitidae rather than to the Termopsinae. [source] Parasitized Salamanders are Inferior Competitors for Territories and Food ResourcesETHOLOGY, Issue 4 2000Daria S. Maksimowich Parasites have been shown to impair the behaviour of their hosts, compromising the host's ability to exploit and compete for resources. We conducted two experiments to determine whether infestation with an ectoparasitic mite (Hannemania eltoni) was associated with changes in aggressive and foraging behaviour in the Ozark zigzag salamander, Plethodon angusticlavius. In a first experiment, male salamanders with high parasite loads were less aggressive overall than males with low parasite loads during territorial disputes. In addition, males with high parasite loads were more aggressive toward opponents with high parasite loads (symmetric contests) than toward opponents with low parasite loads (asymmetric contests). In contrast, males with low parasite loads did not adjust their level of aggression according to the parasite load of the opponent. In a second experiment, foraging behaviour of females was tested in response to ,familiar' (Drosophila) prey and ,novel' (termite) prey. Latency to first capture was significantly longer for parasitized than non-parasitized females when tested with ,familiar' prey, but not for ,novel' prey. Our results suggest that parasite-mediated effects may have profound influences on individual fitness in nature. [source] Endocrine signatures underlying plasticity in postembryonic development of a lower termite, Cryptotermes secundus (Kalotermitidae)EVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 3 2009Judith Korb SUMMARY Wood-dwelling termites are characterized by an extremely high and unique developmental flexibility that allows workers, which are immatures, to explore all caste options. The endocrine signatures underlying this flexibility are only vaguely understood. We determined juvenile hormone (JH) and ecdysteroid hemolymph titers during postembryonic development and in terminal instars of the drywood termite Cryptotermes secundus using field and laboratory colonies. Postembryonic development is characterized by a drop in JH titers at the transition from larval (individuals without wing buds) to nymphal (individuals with wing buds) instars. JH titers were low in winged sexuals and reproducing primary reproductives (<200 pg/,l) but were by an order of magnitude higher in neotenic replacement reproductives. The unique regressive molts of termites seem to be characterized by elevated JH titers, compared with progressive or stationary molts. Ecdysteroid titers were generally low in nymphal instars and in primary reproductives (<50 pg/,l). It was only during the third and fourth nymphal instars and in winged sexuals where some individuals showed elevated ecdysteroid titers. These results are the most comprehensive endocrinological data set available for any lower termite, with the potential to serve as baseline for understanding the extreme developmental flexibility underlying the evolution of social life in termites. [source] Fire performance of wood (Pinus radiata) treated with fire retardants and a wood preservativeFIRE AND MATERIALS, Issue 6 2008D. C. O. Marney Abstract In this work, we co-formulated an oil-borne copper naphthenate/permethrin wood preservative system with synthetic polymer-based fire-retardant additives prior to the impregnation of Pinus radiata sapwood. We evaluated what effect, if any, the preservative had upon the fire performance properties of the fire retardants and whether the fire retardants impacted on the fungicidal and termiticidal efficacy of the preservative. The fire retardants included halogenated and phosphorus-based systems. A mass loss calorimeter, in conjunction with a thermopile, was used to measure the time to ignition and the peak heat release rate (PHRR) from which the fire performance index (FPI) was determined. The preservative properties were evaluated using termite and soil-block decay bioassays. In summary, we found that the rate of fire growth was reduced when the fire retardants were used in combination with the wood preservative. We also found that the PHRR was a better determinant of fire performance than the FPI. The performance of the wood preservative was enhanced against fungal decay and termite attack when used in combination with the fire retardants. The fire retardants also demonstrated some wood preservative properties of their own. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Rockshelter sedimentation in a dynamic tropical landscape: Late Pleistocene,Early Holocene archaeological deposits in Kitulgala Beli-lena, southwestern Sri LankaGEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 6 2009Nikos Kourampas Kitulgala Beli-lena, a rockshelter in gneiss in humid tropical southwestern Sri Lanka, was inhabited by Late Pleistocene,Early Holocene (>31,000,7880 B.P.) hunter-gatherers who made geometric microliths and exploited rainforest resources. Micromorphological analysis of a ca. 3-m-thick succession of diamictic loams, clays, and breccia with cultural content suggests that relative contribution of episodic colluviation and roof fall, water seepage through joints and diverse human activity varied through time. Facies changes across the profile reflect monsoon weakening ca. 20,000,16,000 cal B.P. and abrupt intensification ca. 15,700 cal B.P., on the wane of the global Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Post-depositional modification included clay, sesquioxide, and minor phosphate translocation; termite and other arthropod bioturbation; and clast weathering on the rockshelter floor. Human input (tools and tool-making refuse, reworked charcoal and associated combustion by-products) is markedly higher in sediments younger than ca. 15,700 cal B.P., suggesting intensification of site use immediately after the LGM. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Cloning and expression of a geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase gene: insights into the synthesis of termite defence secretionINSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2007Masaru Hojo Abstract In Nasutitermes takasagoensis, a termite in which soldiers perform specialized chemical defence, Nts19-1 gene is highly expressed exclusively in soldier head. In this study, two types of transcripts for this gene were obtained, and the full-length cDNAs were determined by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). These transcripts were putative homologues of the geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) synthase gene, involved in the condensation of dimethylallyl diphosphate with isopentenyl diphosphate in the isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway. The genes were thus termed NtGGPPS1. GGPP is a precursor of diterpenes in plants. In situ hybridization localized NtGGPPS1 expression to the epidermal secretory cells of the frontal gland reservoir where many kinds of diterpenes are produced, suggesting that NtGGPPS1 is involved in the biosynthesis of defence secretion. [source] Potential of termite-based biomass pre-treatment strategies for use in bioethanol productionINSECT SCIENCE, Issue 3 2010Michael E. Scharf Abstract, When considering the current state of the biorefinery industry, it is readily apparent that industrial cellulose and hemicellulose digestion processes are relatively advanced, whereas enzymatic pre-treatment strategies for biomass delignification and cellulose solubilization are not well developed. The need for efficient biomass pre-treatment strategies presents a significant opportunity for researchers studying lignocellulose digestion in termites and other insects. With an emphasis on industrial biomass pre-treatment, this review provides an overview of: (i) industrial biorefining operations (feedstocks, processing, and economics); (ii) recent findings from termite research that have revealed candidate enzymes; and (iii) research needs and opportunities for consideration by entomologists working in this area. With respect to research findings, recently identified candidate lignases (laccases, catalases, peroxidases, esterases), other potentially important detoxification enzymes (cytochrome P450, superoxide dismutase), and phenolic acid esterases (carboxylesterases) that may assist in hemicellulose solubilization are overviewed. Regarding research needs and opportunities, several approaches for identification of candidate pre-treatment enzymes from upstream, symbiont-free gut regions are also described. [source] First records of urban invasive Cryptotermes brevis (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae) in continental Spain and PortugalJOURNAL OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 8 2010L. Nunes Abstract Occurrence of the West Indian drywood termite, Cryptotermes brevis, is registered for the first time as established populations in Barcelona (Spain) and also additional information is given regarding a recent record from Lisbon (Portugal). This serious invasive termite pest was detected in five buildings in Barcelona, Spain and one building in Lisbon, Portugal. [source] Benzoic acid-degrading bacteria from the intestinal tract of Macrotermes michaelseni SjöstedtJOURNAL OF BASIC MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2007David Kamanda Ngugi Abstract The intestinal tracts of termites host a wide variety of microbial symbionts, which have been implicated in degradative processes. In this study, a fungus-cultivating termite, Macrotermes michaelseni was found to harbor 2.2 × 106 bacterial cells per ml of gut homogenates capable of degrading benzoic acid. Two benzoic acid degrading bacteria were isolated from the highest dilution of gut homogenates in oxic media with benzoic acid as the sole carbon source. Isolate CBC was related to Stenotrophomonas maltophila LMG 958T, Xanthomonas campestris DSM 3586T and Stenotrophomonas acidaminophila DSM 13117T with a sequence similarity of 98.3%, 94.7% and 94.2%, respectively. Isolate CBW was related to Enterobacter aerogenes JCM 1235T and Raoultella ornithinolytica ATCC 31898T with sequence similarity of 98.4% and 97.8%, respectively. In addition to growing on benzoic acid (up to 9 mM) aerobically, isolate CBW also degraded benzoic acid under anoxic conditions with nitrate as electron acceptor. Isolate CBC did not degrade bezoic acid with nitrate but could degraded resorcinol under oxic conditions. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Isolation and characterization of 10 microsatellite loci in the magnetic termite, Amitermes meridionalis (Isoptera: Termitidae)MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES, Issue 6 2007A. M. SCHMIDT Abstract The elongated mounds of the ,magnetic termite', Amitermes meridionalis are a prominent feature of the Northern Territory in Australia. They are restricted to habitat patches of seasonally flooded plains which are largely isolated from each other. To investigate the population structure of A. meridionalis, we developed 10 polymorphic microsatellite loci. We tested the variability of the markers on at least 20 individuals from two populations. We found three to 12 alleles per locus with a level of heterozygosity at each locus ranging from 0.05 to 0.74. [source] Sorption of sulfuryl fluoride by food commoditiesPEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE (FORMERLY: PESTICIDE SCIENCE), Issue 8 2008Venkata-rao Sriranjini Abstract BACKGROUND: The use of sulfuryl fluoride, a structural fumigant for termite and woodborer control, has recently been expanded to treating stored food commodities and food facilities. There is, however, a lack of data on the sorption of sulfuryl fluoride by food commodities. Knowledge about sorption is important in the context of effective treatment and residues. RESULTS: When sulfuryl fluoride was applied at a dose of 50 g m,3 to various food commodities (total 68) with 300 g per replicate in 0.75 L gas wash bottles (fumigation chambers) at 25 ± 1 °C, in most cases (81%) the gas concentrations in the free space of the commodities exceeded 50 g m,3 (range 51,80 g m,3) at the end of 24 h exposure. In chambers without the substrate, an average concentration of 49.7 g m,3 was recorded. About 54% of the commodities showed low-level ( , 25%) sorption of sulfuryl fluoride, 34% showed medium-level (26,50%) sorption and only 12% were highly sorptive (>50%). The latter include white oats (terminal gas concentration 17.8 g m,3), some of the decorticated split pulses (24.0,29.3 g m,3), chickpea flour (26.3 g m,3), dried ginger (29.0 g m,3), refined wheat flour (30.3 g m,3) and coriander powder (40.5 g m,3). In unfumigated control commodities, owing to interfering volatiles, Fumiscope® readings in the range 0,13 were noted. CONCLUSION: Sulfuryl fluoride has the advantage of a low or moderate level of sorption with the majority of the food commodities. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Survivorship, tunneling and feeding behaviors of Coptotermes formosanus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) in response to 2,-acetonaphthone-treated sandPEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE (FORMERLY: PESTICIDE SCIENCE), Issue 8 2004Sanaa A Ibrahim Abstract In laboratory tests, 2,-acetonaphthone was incorporated into sand at different concentrations (4.16,200 mg kg,1) and evaluated for survivorship, feeding and tunneling effects on the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki. 2,-Acetonaphthone at 8.33 mg kg,1 sand significantly reduced survivorship (89,94%), tunnel area (68,91%) and food consumption (84,100%) compared with the control. Most of the dead workers were found at the release point and a few had traveled to the surface of the treated sand. Malformed workers (,27%) with an unexpected symptom of molting failure were observed, particularly at the lowest concentration tested (4.16 mg kg,1). In choice assays, threshold concentration for significant reduction in survivorship, tunnel construction in treated sand and food consumption in the treated-sand side was 8.33 mg kg,1 with termites collected from New Orleans, LA and 35.0 mg kg,1 for those from Lake Charles, LA. Termites actively fed and tunneled in the untreated sand, whereas 2,-acetonaphthone at 140 mg kg,1 completely inhibited consumption of food placed on the treated sand. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Cuticular hydrocarbons in a termite: phenotypes and a neighbour,stranger effectPHYSIOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 3 2002Manfred Kaib Abstract The composition of cuticular hydrocarbons of different colonies of the fungus-growing termite Macrotermes falciger shows considerable intercolonial variation. Ordination, as well as cluster analyses, separate profiles into three distinct chemical phenotypes. Behavioural tests with major workers reveal no alarm behaviour or mortality in pairings of workers from the same colony but a full range from no alarm to overt aggression, with associated death, when individuals were paired from different colonies. The level of mortality increases with differences in the composition of cuticular hydrocarbons between colonies. However, no mortality occurs in pairings of individuals from neighbouring colonies belonging to different phenotypes. The data thus provide evidence for a ,neighbour,stranger' effect (so-called ,dear-enemy' phenomenon) in termites. [source] Morphology and Phylogenetic Position of Eucomonympha imla (Parabasalia: Hypermastigida)THE JOURNAL OF EUKARYOTIC MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2007KEVIN J. CARPENTER ABSTRACT. Eucomonympha imla is a hypermastigote parabasalian found in the gut of the wood-feeding cockroach Cryptocercus punctulatus. It has received little attention since its original description in 1934 as the type species of the genus Eucomonympha and the family Eucomonymphidae. We used light and scanning electron microscopy to characterize surface morphology and organelles, with particular attention to the form of the rostrum, operculum, nucleus, and parabasals. Two previously unrecognized groups of bacterial ectobionts were observed,spirochetes that associate with the flagella and one or more types of rod-shaped bacteria that adhere to the cell surface. The small subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) sequence was determined from manually isolated cells, and phylogenetic analyses place E. imla in a strongly supported clade with the genera Teranympha and Pseudotrichonympha and three sequences from formally undescribed termite symbionts provisionally assigned to Eucomonympha. Unexpectedly, the Eucomonympha isolates from termites are more closely related to Teranympha than to the type species, suggesting these should not be classified as species of Eucomonympha, despite their morphological similarity to E. imla. Eucomonymphidae fall within a strongly supported Trichonymphida (also including Hoplonymphidae, Trichonymphidae, and Staurojoeninidae), but this clade branches separately from other hypermastigote groups (lophomonads and spirotrichonymphids), suggesting that hypermastigotes are polyphyletic. [source] Parallel evolution of termite-egg mimicry by sclerotium-forming fungi in distant termite groupsBIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, Issue 3 2010KENJI MATSUURA Among the great diversity of insect,fungus associations, fungal mimicry of termite eggs is a particularly fascinating consequence of evolution. Along with their eggs, Reticulitermes termites often harbour sclerotia of the fungus Fibularhizoctonia sp., called ,termite balls', giving the fungus competitor-free habitat within termite nests. The fungus has evolved sophisticated morphological and chemical camouflage to mimic termite eggs. To date, this striking insect,fungus association has been found in eight temperate termite species, but is restricted to the lower termite genera Reticulitermes and Coptotermes. Here, we report the discovery of a novel type of termite ball (,Z-type') in the subtropical termite, Nasutitermes takasagoensis. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the Z-type termite ball is an undescribed Trechisporoid fungus, Trechispora sp., that is phylogenetically distant from Fibularhizoctonia, indicating two independent origins of termite-egg mimicry in sclerotium-forming fungi. Egg protection bioassays using dummy eggs revealed that Reticulitermes speratus and N. takasagoensis differ in egg-size preference. A comparative study of termite ball size and egg-size preference of host termites showed that both fungi evolved a termite ball size that optimized the acceptance of termite balls as a unit investment. Termite-egg mimicry by these fungi offers a model case of parallel evolution. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 100, 531,537. [source] A New Fossil Termite (Isoptera, Stolotermitidae, Stolotermes) from the Early Miocene of Otago, New ZealandACTA GEOLOGICA SINICA (ENGLISH EDITION), Issue 4 2010Uwe KAULFUSS Abstract: The forewing of a termite from Early Miocene lake sediments in Otago, southern New Zealand is figured and described. It exhibits the generic characters of the damp-wood termite Stolotermes Hägen, but differs from forewings of the known species in size and venation pattern and is described as Stolotermes kupe sp. nov. S. hupe represents the first confident record of fossil Stolotermitidae and extends the fossil record of the family back to the Early Miocene. It also is the first direct evidence of fossil Isoptera from New Zealand, though silicified termite faecal pellets, referable to Kalotermes brauni, have been previously described. S. kupe indicates that Stolotermitidae has been present in the Australasian region since at least the Early Miocene. [source] Isolation and characterization of 10 microsatellite loci in the magnetic termite, Amitermes meridionalis (Isoptera: Termitidae)MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES, Issue 6 2007A. M. SCHMIDT Abstract The elongated mounds of the ,magnetic termite', Amitermes meridionalis are a prominent feature of the Northern Territory in Australia. They are restricted to habitat patches of seasonally flooded plains which are largely isolated from each other. To investigate the population structure of A. meridionalis, we developed 10 polymorphic microsatellite loci. We tested the variability of the markers on at least 20 individuals from two populations. We found three to 12 alleles per locus with a level of heterozygosity at each locus ranging from 0.05 to 0.74. [source] A novel exocrine structure of the bicellular unit type in the thorax of termitesACTA ZOOLOGICA, Issue 2 2010Teresa Telles Gonçalves Abstract Gonçalves, T. T., DeSouza, O. and Billen, J. 2010. A novel exocrine structure of the bicellular unit type in the thorax of termites , Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 91: 193,198 Studying the thorax of some Termitidae species, we found two pairs of hitherto unknown lateral glands in the mesothorax and metathorax of both workers and soldiers. The glands consist of distinct clusters of class 3 secretory cells accompanied by their duct cells, located in the upper lateral portion of the thoracic wall. Ultrastructural observations reveal numerous mitochondria, a well-developed Golgi apparatus and vesicular smooth endoplasmic reticulum, indicating a cytoplasm with intensive metabolic activity. The gland is reported to occur in Microcerotermes strunckii, Cornitermes cumulans and Nasutitermes minor, three species comprising an interesting morpho-behavioural gradient, respectively, from only mechanical, through mechanical,chemical, to only chemical defence systems. The extent of such a gradient allows speculations that this gland would be related to the general needs of termites, rather than to some specificities of a single group. We warn, however, that complementary studies are needed, before any conclusions can be drawn. [source] Spatial and temporal hotspots of termite-driven decomposition in the SerengetiECOGRAPHY, Issue 3 2010Bernd P. Freymann Ecosystem engineers are organisms that directly or indirectly control the availability of resources to other organisms by causing physical state changes in biotic or abiotic materials. Termites (Insecta, Isoptera) are among the most important ecosystem engineers in tropical ecosystems. We used a field experiment in the tall grasslands of Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, to investigate 1) the consumption by termites of grass litter and dung baits along the landscape gradient of catena position, and 2) seasonal variation in litter and dung removal. Our maps of termitaria and patterns of bait removal revealed clear spatial and temporal hotspots of termite activity. In the dry season termites removed more baits at the top-catena positions than at the bottom positions, but there was no effect of catena position in the wet season. Spatial hotspots of termite activity overlapped with those of both mammalian herbivores and predators. Within the framework of ecosystem engineering, this study suggests that intraspecific aspects of spatial heterogeneity and temporal variability deserve much greater consideration. [source] The spatial pattern of soil-dwelling termites in primary and logged forest in Sabah, MalaysiaECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 1 2007SARAH E. DONOVAN Abstract 1.,Primary and logged lowland dipterocarp forest sites were sampled for subterranean termites using soil pits located on a grid system in order to detect any patchiness in their distribution. 2.,A spatial pattern in termite distributions was observed in the primary and logged sites, but the response differed between soil-feeding and non-soil-feeding termites. 3.,Spatial analysis showed that soil-feeding termites were homogeneously distributed in the primary forest but significantly aggregated in the logged forest. This pattern was reversed for non-soil-feeding termites and may result from differences in resource provisioning between the two sites. 4.,Gaps in termite distribution comprised a greater area than patches for both feeding groups and sites, but gaps dominated the logged site. 5.,A significant association between soil-feeding and non-soil-feeding termite distributions occurred at both sites. This arose from an association between patches in the primary forest and between gaps in the logged forest. 6.,Termite spatial pattern was optimally observed at a minimum extent of 64 m and lag of 2 m. 7.,The spatially explicit SADIE (Spatial Analysis by Distances IndicEs) analyses were more successful than (non-spatially explicit) multivariate analysis (Canonical Correspondence Analysis) at detecting associations between termite spatial distributions and that of other biotic and abiotic variables. [source] Sampling subterranean termite species diversity and activity in tropical savannas: an assessment of different bait choicesECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 4 2003Tracy Z. Dawes-Gromadzki Abstract., 1.,Cellulose baits are commonly used for semi-quantitative sampling of subterranean wood-feeding termites, with a single food choice sampling programme implemented most often. In most situations, however, the composition and feeding preferences of the subterranean termite assemblage remain unknown. 2.,The diversity, frequency, foraging activity, and intensity of attack of termites were assessed regularly at 144 baits representing 12 different bait choices over 8.5 months, in two northern Australian tropical savanna sites that differed in vegetation structure (closed vs open). Baits differed in type (paper rolls, cardboard, wooden stakes), position (surface, buried), and moisture status at installation (wet, dry). 3.,Sixteen species were recorded, including 11 wood-feeders. Average species diversity, foraging activity, and bait consumption were greater at buried baits than at surface baits. Wooden baits were most attractive early in the experiment, and paper baits more attractive later. Mean species diversity was greatest at wooden stakes in the closed site. Species frequency of occurrence varied across bait choices. 4.,A composite bait sampling protocol of stakes and paper rolls installed above and below ground gave an accurate assessment of the activity, diversity, and structure of the termite guild sampled across all baits over 8.5 months. 5.,The choice of bait, its presentation, and time of examination are critical to the success of a termite baiting programme. If the aim is to characterise the structure and foraging activity of the subterranean termite assemblages that are attracted to baits, composite baiting protocols should be implemented. [source] Caste-specific N and C isotope ratios in fungus-growing termites with special reference to uric acid preservation and their nutritional interpretationECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 3 2002I. Tayasu Abstract 1. Nitrogen and carbon isotope ratios and uric acid concentrations in fungus-growing termites (Isoptera: Termitidae: Macrotermitinae), sampled in Cameroon and Thailand, were determined in order to compare castes that are known to differ in behaviour and feeding habits. 2. Nitrogen isotope ratios (,15N) were either not significantly changed or lower in workers compared with the diet (the fungus combs), whereas carbon isotope ratios (,13C) were higher in worker termites than in the fungus combs. 3. In old workers, ,15N values were unexpectedly low and correlated negatively with whole-body uric acid concentrations. This indicates that older workers retain uric acid, which has a low ,15N value, to conserve nitrogen within the colony and, furthermore, that older colony members may ultimately be consumed by younger conspecifics. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||