Behavioural repertoire of termites in corpse management: A comparison between one-piece and multiple-pieces nesting termite species

Abstract

Corpse disposal is an essential adaptation to social life. This behaviour promotes nest hygiene and prevents the spread of pathogens in the colony of social insects. The current study verified the corpse management in two termite families towards cadavers of different origins. We carried out bioassays with subcolonies of Cryptotermes brevis and colonies of Cornitermes cumulans, in which corpses of termite workers from the same colony, from another colony and from another species were introduced. The results showed that C. brevis consumed the corpses regardless of their origin, but they avoided the chitinous parts of the head. In this species, consumption of dead individuals, besides performing a hygienic function, seems to be a strategy for nitrogen and water acquisition. In the C. cumulans species, interspecific and intercolonial corpses were covered with soil and faeces after being groomed. Nestmate corpses were entombed, transported to the nest or ignored after being submitted to grooming. Our findings indicate that a one-piece nesting termite, as C. brevis, exhibited a simplified corpse management repertoire in relation to that performed by C. cumulans, a multiple-piece nesting species, whose approach was more complex and diverse. Behavioural responses are associated with the nesting of the species.

Toxicity, repellency, and horizontal transfer of foam insecticides for remedial control of an invasive drywood termite, Cryptotermes brevis (Blattodea: Kalotermitidae)

“…Five-minute exposures produced 94.4% mortality of recipients at week 3 (Rust et al 2008). Necrophoresis is an essential characteristic of adaptation to social living, and it has been observed in subterranean and drywood termites (Neoh et al 2012a,b;da Silva et al 2018). The previous study reported that mainly the nymphs and pseudergates of C. brevis are involved in corpse management, and they can eat intercolonial and interspecific nestmates.…”

“…The previous study reported that mainly the nymphs and pseudergates of C. brevis are involved in corpse management, and they can eat intercolonial and interspecific nestmates. Soldiers participate through inspection and agonism (da Silva et al 2018). Transfer of insecticides through necrophagy may increase the efficacy of control of drywood termites.…”

“…However, as reported in a previous study, deadtreated donor termites were not eaten by live recipient termites in any treatment (Rust et al 2008). Cryptotermes brevis start corpse management by inspecting cadavers through antennation, followed by the individuals exhibiting alarm behaviour and then ingesting corpses (da Silva et al 2018). Mortality of recipient termites from dead-treated donor termites can be because of contact with contaminated corpses, or recipients might have eaten a minor part of the donor's body, leading to mortality of recipients, as corpses were not observed under the microscope Although high mortality of termites was observed after exposure to fipronil-treated surfaces and topical treatment, fipronil also produces high secondary mortality in horizontal transfer bioassays.…”

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

“…Os cupins não removem os cadáveres do ninho; em vez disso, eles podem comê-los ou enterrá-los e evitar os locais onde foram enterrados (López-Riquelme et al, 2013). C. cumulans é capaz de identificar rapidamente cadáveres exibindo repertório comportamental complexo, incluindo enterrar, comer, limpar e ignorar os cupins mortos (Silva & Costa-Leonardo, 2018). Portanto, o rápido desenvolvimento dos ácaros após a morte do cupim pode ser uma adaptação.…”