Soldiers are differentiated from male larval stages in incipient colonies of Nasutitermes takasagoensis (Isoptera: Termitidae)

Kouhei Toga*, Chieka Minakuchi, Kiyoto Maekawa

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

In phylogenetically ancestral taxa of termites (the so-called lower termites), at least one soldier emerges and is maintained longitudinally in each incipient colony. However, in apical taxa (the so-called higher termites), the developmental pathway and regulation of soldiers in incipient colonies currently remain unknown. We therefore examined soldier and worker development in incipient colonies of higher termites (Nasutitermes takasagoensis Shiraki). Developmental stages and castes were successfully discriminated by head width in incipient colonies 4 months after colony foundation. Furthermore, differences were observed in the number of bristles on antennae between first- and second-instar larvae. In N. takasagoensis, there was more than one soldier in each incipient colony 4 months after its foundation. Presoldiers in the incipient colonies were differentiated from an earlier instar (male second-instar larvae), whereas, in mature colonies, they were differentiated from male third instars (= minor workers). The developmental period of the former (7 days) was markedly shorter than that of the latter (14 days). All female second-instar larvae molted into workers. The developmental processes shown here are useful for obtaining a clearer understanding of the mechanisms of soldier/worker differentiation in higher termites.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)329-335
Number of pages7
JournalApplied Entomology and Zoology
Volume52
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2017/05/01

Keywords

  • Incipient colony
  • Sex ratio
  • Soldier differentiation
  • Termite

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Insect Science

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