Insectes Sociaux

, Volume 29, Issue 4, pp 535–547 | Cite as

Precocious reproductive development (Neoteny) by larvae of a primitive termiteZootermopsis angusticollis (Hagen)

  • S. L. W. Greenberg
  • A. M. Stuart
Article
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Summary

In the absence of a functional reproductive pair, neotenic moults began during the third to fourth weeks after isolation of larvæ from a parent colony, and continued until the 9th to 10th weeks in those groups where the new neotenics were not removed. New neotenics could be distinguished from larvae within one to three days after the moult by several morphological features. The presence of a single soldier in replicate groups of larvæ did not influence neotenic development, but replicate groups composed entirely of brachypterous larvæ produced fewer neotenics than did groups composed of apterous larvæ.

Similar numbers of neotenics developed in replicate groups of apterous larvæ isolated from the same parent colony although the rate of development differend between the groups. This difference was insignificant when the number of male and female larvæ in each replicate was equal. This finding was apparently the result of the fact that female larvæ moulted into neotenics earlier and in greater numbers than male larvæ.

Keywords

Female Larva Larval Moult Caste Determination Male Larva Lower Termite 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

Développement précoce de la reproduction (Néoténie) chez les larves d'un termite primitif zootermopsis angusticollis (Hagen)

Resume

En l'absence d'une paire de sexués fonctionnels, les mues néoténiques ont commencé à se développer de la 3e à la 4e semaine après l'isolement de larves d'une colonie parentale. Elles se sont poursuivies jusqu'à la 9e ou la 10e semaine dans les groupes où les nouveaux néoténiques n'ont pas été enlevés. Les nouveaux néoténiques pouvaient être distingués des larves de 1 à 3 jours après la mue, par plusieurs traits morphologiques. La présence d'un seul soldat dans des groupes identiques de larves n'a pas influencé le développement néoténique. Mais les groupes entièrement composés de larves brachyptères ont produit moins de néoténiques que les groupes composés de larves aptères.

Des nombres similaires de néoténiques se sont développés dans des groupes identiques de larves aptères isolées de la même colonie parentale, bien que la vitesse de développement fût différente dans les groupes. Cette différence n'a pas été significative lorsque le nombre de larves mâles et de larves femelles était le même dans chaque expérience identique. Ce résultat provient apparemment du fait que les larves femelles ont mué en néoténiques plus tôt et en plus grand nombre que les larves mâles.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Buchli H., 1956. — Die Neotenie beiReticulitermes.Ins. Soc., 3, 31–143.Google Scholar
  2. Buchli H., 1958. — L'origine des castes et les potentialités ontogéniques des termites européens du genreReticulitermes Holmgren.Ann. Sc. Nat. Zool., 20, 263–249.Google Scholar
  3. Castle G.B., 1934. — The damp wood termites of western United States, genusZootermopsis (formerly,Termopsis). In:Termites and Termite Control,C.A. Kofoid, Ed., University of California Press, Berkeley, 273–310.Google Scholar
  4. Dropkin V.H., 1946. — The use of mixed colonies of termites in the study of host-symbiont relationships.J. Parasitol., 32, 247–251.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  5. Grassé, P.-P., Noirot Ch., 1946. — La production des sexués néoténiques chez le termite à cou jaune (Calotermes flavicollis Fabr.).C. R. Acad. Sc., Paris, 223, 869–871.Google Scholar
  6. Grassé, P.-P., Noirot Ch., 1960. — Rôle respectif des mâles et des femelles dans la formation des sexués néoténiques chezCalotermes flavicollis.Ins. Soc., 7, 109–123.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. Creenberg S., 1979. — Neotenic development and its control in the primitive termiteZootermopsis angusticollis (Hagen).Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 126 p.Google Scholar
  8. Greenberg S.L.W.G., Kunkel J.G., Stuart A.M., 1978. — Vitellogenesis in the primitive termiteZootermopsis angusticollis (Hagen) (Hodotermitidæ).Biol. Bull., 155, 336–346.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  9. Heath H., 1903. — The habits of California termites.Biol. Bull., 4, 47–63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  10. Howard R.W., Haverty M.I., 1980. — Reproductives in mature colonies ofReticulitermes flavipes: abundance, sex-ratio, and association with soldiers.Environ. Entomol., 9, 458–460.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  11. Lenz M., 1976. — The dependence of hormone effects on termite caste determination on external factors. In:Phase and Caste Determination in Insects: Endocrine Aspects,M. Luscher Ed., Pergamon Press, N.Y., 73–89.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. Light, S.F., 1942, 1943. — The determination of the castes of social insects.Quart. Rev. Biol., 17, 312–326;18, 46–63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  13. Light S.F., 1944. — Experimental studies on ectohormonal control of the development of supplementary reproductives in the termite genusZootermopsis (formerly Termopsis).Univ. Calif. Publ. Zool., 43, 413–454.Google Scholar
  14. Light S.F., Illg P.L., 1945. — Rate and extent of development of neotenic reproductives in groups of nymphs of the termite genusZootermopsis.Univ. Calif. Publ. Zool., 53, 1–40.Google Scholar
  15. Light S.F., Weesner F.M., 1951. — Further studies on the production of supplementary reproductives inZootermopsis (Isoptera).J. Exp. Zool., 117, 397–414.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  16. Luscher M., 1952a. — Die Produktion und Elimination von Ersatz- geschlechtstieren bei der TermiteKalotermes flavicollis (Fabr.).Z. Vergl. Physiol., 34, 123–141.Google Scholar
  17. Luscher M., 1952b. — New evidence for ectohormonal control of caste determination in termites.Trans. Ninth Int. Cong. Ent., Amsterdam,1, 289–294.Google Scholar
  18. Luscher M., 1960. — Sozialwirkstoffe bei Termiten.Proc. XIth Cong. IUSSI, Vienna, 579–582.Google Scholar
  19. Luscher M., 1962. — Hormonal regulation of development in termites.Symp. Genetic et Biologica Italica, 10, 1–11.Google Scholar
  20. Luscher M., 1973. — The influence of the composition of experimental groups on caste development inZootermopsis (Isoptera).Proc. VII Cong. IUSSI, London,1, 253–256.Google Scholar
  21. Luscher M., 1975. — Pheromones and polymorphism in bees and termites. In: Pheromones and Defensive Secretions in Social Insects,Ch. Noirot, P.E. Howse andG. Le Masne Eds.,Proc. Symp. IUSSI, Dijon, 123–141.Google Scholar
  22. Luscher M., 1977. — Queen dominance in termites.Proc. VIIIth Cong. IUSSI, Netherlands,1, 238–242.Google Scholar
  23. Mendenhall W., 1967. —Introduction to probability and statistics. Wadsworth Publishing Company, Inc., Belmont, Calif., 393 p.Google Scholar
  24. Mensa-Bonsu A., 1976. — The production and elimination of supplementary reproductives inPorotermes adamsoni (Froggatt) (Isoptera, Hodotermitidae).Ins. Soc., 23, 133–154.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  25. Miller E.M., 1969. — Caste differentiation in the lower termites. In:Biology of Termites,K. Krishna andF.M. Weesner, Eds., Academic Press, N.Y., 283–310.Google Scholar
  26. Nagin R., 1972. — Caste determination inNeotermes jouteli (Banks).Ins. Soc., 19, 39–61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  27. Pickens A.L., 1932. — Observations on the genusReticulitermes Holmgren.Pan-Pacific Entomol., 8, 178–180.Google Scholar
  28. Siegel, S., 1956. —Non-parametric statistics for the behavioral sciences. McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., N.Y.Google Scholar
  29. Springhetti A., 1969. — Influenza dei reali sulla differenziazione dei soldati diKalotermes flavicollis Fabr. (Isoptera).Proc. VI Cong. IUSSI, Bern, 267–273.Google Scholar
  30. Steele R.G.D., Torrie J.H., 1960. —Principles and procedures of statistics. McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., N.Y., 481 p.Google Scholar
  31. Stuart A.M., 1979. — The determination and regulation of the neotenic reproductive caste in the lower termites (Isoptera): with special reference to the genusZootermopsis (Hagen).Sociobiology, 4, 223–237.Google Scholar
  32. Yin C.-M., Gillot C., 1975. — Endocrine control of caste differentiation inZootermopsis angusticollis Hagen (Isoptera).Can. J. Zool., 53, 1701–1708.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  33. Watson J.A., Metcalf E.C., Sewell J.J., 1975. — Preliminary studies on the control of neotenic formation inMastotermes darwiniensis Froggatt (Isoptera).Ins. Soc. 22, 415–426.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Masson 1982

Authors and Affiliations

  • S. L. W. Greenberg
    • 1
  • A. M. Stuart
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of ZoologyUniversity of MassachusettsAmherstU.S.A.

Personalised recommendations