Termites are eusocial insects currently classified into nine families, of which only Stylotermitidae has never been subjected to any molecular phylogenetic analysis. Stylotermitids present remarkable morphology and have the unique habit of feeding on living trees. We sequenced mitogenomes of five stylotermitid samples from China and Taiwan to reconstruct the phylogenetic position of Stylotermitidae. Our analyses placed Stylotermitidae as the sister group of all remaining Neoisoptera. The systematic position of Stylotermitidae calls for additional studies of their biology, including their developmental pathways and pheromone communication, which have the potential to change our understanding of termite evolution.
Species identification in the genus Reticulitermes is often difficult because of ambiguous morphological characters. Challenges in Reticulitermes spp. recognition have also been encountered in East Asia, including Taiwan. Because of unknown Reticulitermes taxa in Taiwan and the possible origin of alien Reticulitermes kanmonensis Takematsu in Japan and Korea, reexamining Reticulitermes fauna in Taiwan is imperative. To clarify the Reticulitermes fauna in Taiwan, this study applied two mitochondrial genes (cytochrome oxidase subunit II [COII] and 16S rDNA) and morphological characters for species delimitation. Reticulitermes specimens collected from 63 localities across the main and adjacent islands of Taiwan were analyzed. Phylogenetic analyses, morphological comparisons, and ecological traits suggested the existence of three species in Taiwan: Reticulitermes flaviceps (Oshima), R. kanmonensis, and Reticulitermes leptomandibularis Hsia and Fan. Altitudinal distributions among the three Reticulitermes termites tended to differ: R. flaviceps adapted to low hills, but R. kanmonensis and R. leptomandibularis occurred in medium mountainous areas. The combined data, including haplotype diversities and distribution range, suggest that 1) R. flaviceps is an endemic species and only found in Taiwan; 2) R. kanmonensis and R. leptomandibularis are both native species in Taiwan and China; 3) Japanese R. kanmonensis populations originated from southern China and/or Taiwan and that Korean populations were possibly introduced from Japan.
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.
Three termite species currently placed into Nasutitermes Dudley, 1890 (Isoptera: Termitidae), occurring in Taiwan, N. kinoshitai (Hozawa, 1915), N. parvonasutus (Nawa, 1911), and N. takasagoensis (Nawa, 1911), are redescribed and keyed. The soldier and worker castes of N. kinoshitai are described for the first time. Neotypes are designated for N. parvonasutus and N. takasagoensis. Significant difference in their morphology and gene sequences of mitochondrial 16S rRNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) indicate that N. kinoshitai and N. parvonasutus do not belong to Nasutitermes; however, as the genus and several morphologically similar and systematically related genera are in need of revision, currently it is not possible to propose a revised generic placement. Based on 438 colony samples, the distribution pattern, dispersal flight season, polymorphism of soldier and worker castes, and termitophiles of the three species are discussed.
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