The ‘floppy-wing’ morph of the subterranean termite Reticulitermes labralis has a secondary reproductive function

Xing, Lian Xi; Wu, Jia; Wang, K.; Kong, Xiaohong; Liu, M.-H.; Su, Xiao Hong

doi:10.1007/s00040-015-0392-8

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…The presence of wings might lead to the conclusion that the R. labralis ANs are alate adults, but their overall appearance is more similar to that of secondary reproductives (neotenic reproductives). Additionally, our previous study demonstrated that R. labralis ANs and BNs are not able to survive in the absence of workers, whereas paired alate adults are able to create new colonies without the help of workers 4 5 . Therefore, ANs are more similar to neotenic reproductives in terms of morphology and behaviour.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…In the absence of or at a great distance from the primary reproductives, a few of the nymphs or workers develop into secondary reproductives to provide for the continued or additional growth of the colony 1 2 . In R. urbis and R. labralis, the last instar nymphs can develop in three manners: (i) via a single moult into alate adults as primary reproductives, (ii) via a single moult into brachypterous neotenics as secondary reproductives, and (iii) via a single moult into adultoid reproductives with floppy wings as secondary reproductives 3 4 5 . Each reproductive caste exhibits a particular behavioural repertoire and caste-specific morphological characteristics depending on the environmental and social stimuli 2 .…”

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confidence: 99%

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Characterization of the transcriptomes and cuticular protein gene expression of alate adult, brachypterous neotenic and adultoid reproductives of Reticulitermes labralis

Xiao

et al. 2016

Sci Rep

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The separation of primary reproductive and secondary reproductive roles based on the differentiation of alate adults and neotenic reproductives is the most prominent characteristic of termites. To clarify the mechanism underlying this differentiation, we sequenced the transcriptomes of alate adults (ARs), brachypterous neotenics (BNs) and adultoid reproductives (ANs) from the last instar nymphs of Reticulitermes labralis. A total of 404,152,188 clean sequencing reads was obtained and 61,953 unigenes were assembled. Of the 54 identified cuticular protein (CP) genes of the reproductives, 22 were classified into the CPR family and 7 were classified into the CPG family. qRT-PCR analyses of the 6 CP genes revealed that the CP genes involved in exocuticle sclerotization were highly expressed in the ARs and RR-1 involved in soft endocuticle was highly expressed in the ARs and ANs. These results suggest that the alate adults might increase cuticular component deposition to adapt to new or changing environments and that the development of reproductive individuals into primary or secondary reproductives is controlled by the expression of cuticular protein genes involved in the hardening of the exocuticle. In addition, the AN caste is a transitional type between the BN and AR castes in the process of evolution.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterization of the transcriptomes and cuticular protein gene expression of alate adult, brachypterous neotenic and adultoid reproductives of Reticulitermes labralis

Xiao

et al. 2016

Sci Rep

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“…For example, R. labralis and R. chinensis can produce alates that can disperse colonies in the surrounding areas for approximately 5 years and 9 years, respectively, once the colonies are established. Meanwhile, colonies headed by neotenics begin to produce alates on an average of 2.29 years (Xing et al, 2015;Ma, 1989;Lieu et al, 2002;Goodisman & Crozier 2002;Crissman et al, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Breeding Patterns and Population Genetics of Eastern Subterranean Termites Reticulitermes flavipes in Urban Environment of Nebraska, United States

Majid¹,

Kamble²,

Chen³

2018

Sociobiology

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Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) has become the most destructive subterranean termite pest, on urban structures in Nebraska. In this study, we used seven microsatellite loci to infer the colony breeding system and population genetic structure among 20 infested urban structures in Nebraska. Our data revealed that 17 structures were infested by simple family colonies of R. flavipes, while, the remaining three were infested with mixed family colonies. The measure of population differentiation, FCT value (0.459) indicated that all the 20 urban colonies (10 - 410 km apart) represented pronounced levels of genetic differentiation. The Mantel test disclosed a weak and significantly-positive correlation between genetic and geographic distance (slope = 0.0009, P = 0.001). The urban populations of R. flavipes in Nebraska possessed a breeding system characterized by monogamous pairs of outbred reproductives with excessive heterozygosity.

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“…(2010) suggested that the AR in Macrotermes gilvus (Termitidae) developed from alate adults with torn wings and retained at the original nest as secondary reproductives. However, in R eticulitermes urbis and R. labralis , the AR with floppy wings develop from nymphs and have the secondary reproductive function ( Ghesini and Marini 2009 , Xing et al 2015 ). Field and laboratory colonies of Reticulitermes contain a large number of secondary reproductives derived from nymphs, in which the secondary reproductives play important roles in colony growth ( Huang et al 2013 , Wu et al 2013 ).…”

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confidence: 99%

The Development of Adultoid Reproductives and Brachypterous Neotenic Reproductives From the Last Instar Nymphs inReticulitermes labralis(Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae): A Comparative Study

Wang

Liu

et al. 2015

J Insect Sci

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Secondary reproductives develop primarily from nymphs. However, they have been rarely studied; in particular, the development of adultoid reproductives (AR) with floppy wings is still unclear. In this study, the change in juvenile hormone (JH) levels, vitellogenin gene expression, and oogenesis during the development of AR and brachypterous neotenic reproductives (BN) from the last instar nymphs of Reticulitermes labralis are investigated and compared. The results showed that the AR derived from the last instar nymphs by molting, and they were more similar to neotenic reproductives in morphology. In addition, the paired AR were not able to survive in the absence of workers. In R. labralis, the process of the last instar nymphs developing into AR and BN took an increase in JH level as a starting point. The JH level of the last instar nymphs molting into BN was approximately 1.5-fold higher than that of the AR. Additionally, The JHIII level of BN peaked on day 5, and that of AR peaked on day 10, which induced the onset of vitellogenesis in BN and AR, respectively. After molting, the vitellogenin gene expression levels of both BN and AR initially increased and then declined, and the expression levels in the BN were significantly higher than those in the AR. In addition, the oocytes of BN matured earlier than those of the AR, and the number of eggs laid by the BN was higher than the number laid by the AR. Our results demonstrate that, in R. labralis, the last instar nymphs can develop into AR, which are significantly different from BN in their development.

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The ‘floppy-wing’ morph of the subterranean termite Reticulitermes labralis has a secondary reproductive function

Cited by 4 publications

References 38 publications

Characterization of the transcriptomes and cuticular protein gene expression of alate adult, brachypterous neotenic and adultoid reproductives of Reticulitermes labralis

Characterization of the transcriptomes and cuticular protein gene expression of alate adult, brachypterous neotenic and adultoid reproductives of Reticulitermes labralis

Breeding Patterns and Population Genetics of Eastern Subterranean Termites Reticulitermes flavipes in Urban Environment of Nebraska, United States

The Development of Adultoid Reproductives and Brachypterous Neotenic Reproductives From the Last Instar Nymphs inReticulitermes labralis(Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae): A Comparative Study

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