The Enemies and Defense Mechanisms of Termites

Deligne, Jean; Quennedey, André; Blum, Murray S.

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-342202-6.50008-3

Cited by 153 publications

(227 citation statements)

References 73 publications

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“…A variety of invertebrate and vertebrate predators are of potential danger to foraging Macrotermes (Longhurst and Howse, 1979;Lepage and Darlington, 1984;Abe and Darlington, 1985) and several different alarm and defence mechanisms have been evolved (Maschwitz and Jander, 1972;Deligne et al, 1981;Prestwich, 1983Prestwich, , 1984. In the present study, the significance of vibrational signals for the defence system of Macrotermes was investigated for the first time.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nothing is known about the significance of acoustical alarm communication within the mounds and the gallery system of these termites. Foraging termites can come in contact with a variety of predators and competitors (Deligne et al, 1981;Sheppe, 1970). The use of vibrational alarm signals which can be rapidly transmitted over long distances would allow a fast retreat and defence reactions and would clearly be advantageous.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Vibrational alarm communication in the African fungus-growing termite genus Macrotermes (Isoptera, Termitidae)

Röhrig¹,

Kirchner²,

Leuthold³

1999

Insectes Sociaux

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A sophisticated system of vibrational long distance alarm communication was found in the African fungus growing termites Macrotermes bellicosus and M. subhyalinus. When disturbed in their nests and in their extended gallery systems, soldiers produce vibrational signals by drumming their heads against the substratum. The drumming signals are trains of pulses of substrate vibrations with pulse repetition rates of 26 Hz in M. bellicosus and 13 Hz in M. subhyalinus. In both species, the carrier frequency was about 1000 Hz and the signal amplitudes about 0.5 m/s 2 (acceleration, RMS). By using artificial stimuli, we examined the characteristics of the stimuli that can elicit drumming behaviour, the termites' sensitivity to substrate vibrations, their reaction time to stimuli, and their ability to discriminate vibrations of different temporal structures. We also investigated the behavioural responses of termites to drumming signals and the mechanism of long distance propagation of drumming signals through the nest and foraging sites. We found that the soldiers are extremely sensitive to vibrations, responding to vibrations with amplitudes as small as 1-2 nm by drumming themselves. This behaviour leads to the propagation of the vibrational alarm through a chain of drumming soldiers, resulting in a retreat of the termites into their nest. The termites' system of social long distance communication seems to be unique in insects.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vibrational alarm communication in the African fungus-growing termite genus Macrotermes (Isoptera, Termitidae)

Röhrig¹,

Kirchner²,

Leuthold³

1999

Insectes Sociaux

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“…(1) Because dealates of Reticulitermes termites are obliged to walk after shedding their wings (Weesner 1956), mate location is limited to a fairly small area. (2) Intense predation on the ground (Deligne et al 1981) may limit searching time.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of colony foundation success between sexual pairs and female asexual units in the termite Reticulitermes speratus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

Matsuura

Nishida

2001

Population Ecology

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In termites, a male and a female usually found a colony cooperatively. However, pairing efficiency tends to be low in Reticulitermes speratus because of a limited matesearching range, the female-biased sex ratio, and a relatively low calling ability. Females that fail to pair with males found colonies either in female-female pairs or even alone. In the laboratory, we examined colony foundation by single females (F), female-female pairs (FF), and normal malefemale pairs (FM). The time until colony foundation (when termites began excavating wood baits) differed significantly among the unit types. Time until excavation was much longer for single females than for FF and FM units, which reflects the relative success of colony foundation. The survival rate of single females was also significantly lower than that of FF-and FM-unit females, although there was no difference between FF and FM units. This result demonstrates that cooperation, even female-female, promotes female survivorship. Nevertheless, the number of progeny per female was significantly lower in FF units than in FM units, possibly because females of FF units must share reproductive output. These results lead us to the conclusion that a normal monogamous pair is the best unit for colony foundation. Nevertheless, females alone can establish colonies by parthenogenesis, and even female-female cooperation promotes colony foundation success if pairing with males is not possible. Considering the functional decision for females in F and FF units of how much time to spend searching for a male mate, we believe that these facultative pathways of colony foundation by parthenogenesis have adaptive significance.

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“…The alates are most vulnerable during the period between flight and colony foundation, when they are not protected by other castes and the nest itself (Deligne et al, 1981). We examined the effect of dealation on the risk of predation by a predatory ant, Brachyponera chinensis Emery, to verify the hypothesis that alates reduce their vulnerability by shedding their wings soon after landing.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanism, induction factors, and adaptive significance of dealation in the subterranean termite Reticulitermes speratus (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae)

Matsuura

Nishida

2002

Insectes Sociaux

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We studied the dealation of a subterranean termite Reticulitermes speratus Kolbe from three different angles; mechanism, induction factors, and adaptive significance. During nuptial flight alates prevent the wings from breaking off by holding the wings in a 3-dimensional configuration. In the process of dealation, the alates hold the wings in a 2-dimensional configuration, half spread the wings in a lowered position, and bend the abdomen back toward the wings, thereby exerting high pressure at the basal sutures. This separates the wings from the body. The primary factor determining the timing of dealation appears to be isolation from other alates: It induces alates to shed their wings, whereas pairing has no effect on dealation in this species. Alates of termites are especially vulnerable to ant predation during the period between flight and colony foundation. An experiment designed to compare the risk of alates and dealates to predation by a termite-hunting ant, Brachyponera chinensis Emery, showed that dealation reduced the predation risk during the period spent running on the ground. and then compared the time required for the ants to kill the alates and dealates using the paired t-test.

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The Enemies and Defense Mechanisms of Termites

Cited by 153 publications

References 73 publications

Vibrational alarm communication in the African fungus-growing termite genus Macrotermes (Isoptera, Termitidae)

Vibrational alarm communication in the African fungus-growing termite genus Macrotermes (Isoptera, Termitidae)

Comparison of colony foundation success between sexual pairs and female asexual units in the termite Reticulitermes speratus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

Mechanism, induction factors, and adaptive significance of dealation in the subterranean termite Reticulitermes speratus (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae)

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