Historical biogeography of Reticulitermes termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) inferred from analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear loci

Dedeine, Franck; Dupont, Simon; Guyot, Sylvain; Matsuura, Kenji; Wang, Changlu; Habibpour, Behzad; Mantovani, Barbara; Luchetti, Andrea

doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2015.10.020

Cited by 43 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 84 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Reticulitermes is distributed in two distinct areas on this continent: an area roughly including South Europe and Western Asia (Palaearctic); and an area including the SinoJapanese realm and the Northernmost Oriental realm ( figure 1a). The most recent common ancestor of European and Sino-Japanese species of Reticulitermes was dated to the Middle Miocene, 14.0 Ma (11.4 -17.1 Ma 95% CI), concurring with previous estimations [15], when temperate forests stretched from Europe to Far East Asia [58,59], therefore, we consider it likely that Reticulitermes declined in central Asia as the climate became cooler and dryer [60]. The other major disjunction in the distribution of Reticulitermes is between the Old World and the New World species, whose most recent common ancestor was dated to the Early Miocene, 16.1 Ma (13.4-19.5 Ma 95% CI), coinciding with the end of a global climatic warming 25-15 Ma [57].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

“…Reticulitermes has a temperate, holarctic distribution, although it is absent from the drier areas of north Asia east of the Caspian Sea [13,14], with the highest diversity found in China and then around the Mediterranean (although many species are likely synonyms [1,15]). Heterotermes and Coptotermes are pantropical, although Heterotermes is absent from Africa except a small area around Ethiopia (figure 1) [13,14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Oceanic dispersal, vicariance and human introduction shaped the modern distribution of the termitesReticulitermes,HeterotermesandCoptotermes

Bourguignon

Šobotník

et al. 2016

Proc. R. Soc. B.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Reticulitermes, Heterotermes and Coptotermes form a small termite clade with partly overlapping distributions. Although native species occur across all continents, the factors influencing their distribution are poorly known. Here, we reconstructed the historical biogeography of these termites using mitochondrial genomes of species collected on six continents. Our analyses showed that Reticulitermes split from Heterotermes þ Coptotermes at 59.5 Ma (49.9 -69.5 Ma 95% CI), yet the oldest split within Reticulitermes (Eurasia and North America) is 16.1 Ma (13.4 -19.5 Ma) and the oldest split within Heterotermes þ Coptotermes is 36.0 Ma (33.9 -40.5 Ma). We detected 14 disjunctions between biogeographical realms, all of which occurred within the last 34 Ma, not only after the break-up of Pangaea, but also with the continents in similar to current positions. Land dispersal over land bridges explained four disjunctions, oceanic dispersal by wood rafting explained eight disjunctions, and human introduction was the source of two recent disjunctions. These wood-eating termites, therefore, appear to have acquired their modern worldwide distribution through multiple dispersal processes, with oceanic dispersal and human introduction favoured by the ecological traits of nesting in wood and producing replacement reproductives.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oceanic dispersal, vicariance and human introduction shaped the modern distribution of the termitesReticulitermes,HeterotermesandCoptotermes

Bourguignon

Šobotník

et al. 2016

Proc. R. Soc. B.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Although the main use of parthenogenesis is to produce neotenic queens, it is also important to note that 18 of 281 female alates and Timing estimation is based on the global time-scaled phylogeny of Reticulitermes termites (Dedeine et al, 2016). b Kin selection predicts that alate sex ratios are biased toward female (F>M) in asexual queen succession (AQS) species, which is supported by the data for R. speratus and R. virginicus (Kobayashi et al, 2013).…”

Section: Cavitermes Tuberosusmentioning

confidence: 76%

“…The global time-scaled phylogeny of Reticulitermes termites showed that the three Reticulitermes species exhibiting AQS belong to three distinct phylogenetic lineages, i.e. from East Asia, North America and West Europe, suggesting that AQS was originally absent in the ancestral lineage of Reticulitermes but evolved at least three times independently during the diversification of the genus (Dedeine et al, 2016).…”

Section: Aqs Models (A) Aqs Inmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of the asexual queen succession system and its underlying mechanisms in termites

Matsuura

2017

Journal of Experimental Biology

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

One major advantage of sexual reproduction over asexual reproduction is its promotion of genetic variation, although it reduces the genetic contribution to offspring. Queens of social insects double their contribution to the gene pool, while overuse of asexual reproduction may reduce the ability of the colony to adapt to environmental stress because of the loss of genetic diversity. Recent studies have revealed that queens of some termite species can solve this tradeoff by using parthenogenesis to produce the next generation of queens and sexual reproduction to produce other colony members. This reproductive system, known as asexual queen succession (AQS), has been identified in the subterranean termites Reticulitermes speratus, Reticulitermes virginicus and Reticulitermes lucifugus and in the Neotropical higher termites Embiratermes neotenicus and Cavitermes tuberosus. The studies presented here have uncovered the unusual modes of reproduction in termites and have aimed to identify their underlying mechanisms. The study of AQS, the mixed use of sexual and asexual reproduction, is of fundamental importance as it may provide a key to solve the evolutionary paradox of sex.

show abstract

“…However, the three AQS species belong to three phylogenetically and geographically distinct lineages within the species‐rich genus Reticulitermes , suggesting an independent evolution of AQS in the three cases (Dedeine et al . ; Matsuura ). More importantly, we recently showed that AQS also occurs in the family Termitidae (higher termites), the most diversified and abundant termite clade.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Asexual queen succession mediates an accelerated colony life cycle in the termite Silvestritermes minutus

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Mixed modes of reproduction, combining sexual processes with thelytokous parthenogenesis, occur in all major clades of social insects. In several species of termites, queens maximize their genetic input into nondispersing replacement queens through parthenogenesis, while maintaining genetically diverse sterile offspring and dispersing reproductives via sexual reproduction. This so-called asexual queen succession (AQS) has multiple independent origins and its presumed advantages are diverse as well, ranging from multiplication of colony reproductive potential to extension of its lifespan beyond that of the foundress. However, how AQS shapes colony life cycles under natural conditions remains poorly known. The neotropical termite Silvestritermes minutus inhabits small but conspicuous nests, offering a unique opportunity to investigate the impact of AQS on life history. We report on its breeding system, life cycle and sex allocation using social structure census in 137 nests and genotyping of 12 colonies at 12 microsatellite loci. We show that colonies are established by an outbred pair of primary reproductives. In less than 2 years, the foundress is replaced by multiple neotenic queens, arising mostly through automixis with central fusion. Sterile castes, male and most (93%) female dispersers are produced sexually. Colony reproduction is usually restricted to a single dispersal of alates with unbiased sex ratio, taking place after 3 years. We conclude that S. minutus benefits from AQS to maximize colony growth rate and alate production within a very short life cycle rather than to extend colony lifespan. This highlights the versatile role of AQS in different cases of its polyphyletic origin.

show abstract

Historical biogeography of Reticulitermes termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) inferred from analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear loci

Cited by 43 publications

References 84 publications

Oceanic dispersal, vicariance and human introduction shaped the modern distribution of the termitesReticulitermes,HeterotermesandCoptotermes

Oceanic dispersal, vicariance and human introduction shaped the modern distribution of the termitesReticulitermes,HeterotermesandCoptotermes

Evolution of the asexual queen succession system and its underlying mechanisms in termites

Asexual queen succession mediates an accelerated colony life cycle in the termite Silvestritermes minutus

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About