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Caste development systems of the Neotropical termite Constrictotermes cyphergaster (Isoptera, Termitidae)

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Abstract

The caste developmental system of the Neotropical termite Constrictotermes cyphergaster was investigated in 12 natural colonies from the semi-arid Caatinga region of northeastern Brazil. Twelve measurements were taken of different body parts of the larvae, workers, presoldiers, soldiers, nymphs, and alates for morphometric analyses, and principal component analyses (PCA) were performed based on these parameters. The nymphal line comprised one larval instar, followed by five nymphal instars, and alates, in agreement with the developmental pattern described for Termitidae species. The apterous line included two larval instars, followed by workers, presoldiers, and soldiers. Both workers and soldiers were found to be monomorphic and composed only of male specimens, with only one instar phase each. C. cyphergaster, like most of the Nasutitermitinae, has only male soldiers. The presence of male workers, with only one instar, suggests a simplified system of differentiation in the apterous line of C. cyphergaster. These patterns, which had not previously been described for ‘full nasute’ Nasutitermitinae, are similar to the differentiation patterns of the ‘mandibulate nasute’ Cornitermes walkeri.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the owners of the Fazenda Almas Private Reserve for their logistic support during this research; Virgínia F.P. Araújo and André L.Q. Reis for their help during field work; and CAPES for the Masters grant and financial support awarded to Flávia Maria da S. Moura. The authors also wish to express their gratitude to Dr. Reginaldo Constantino and Dr. Toru Miura for their help in determining the sex of the termites. This research was supported by CNPq/PELD (520062/2006-0).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, Centro de Ciências Exatas e da Natureza, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Joao Pessoa, Paraíba, 58051-900, Brazil

    F. M. S. Moura & A. G. Bandeira

  2. Departamento de Botânica, Ecologia e Zoologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970, Brazil

    A. Vasconcellos

  3. Departamento de Morfologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

    N. B. Silva

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  1. F. M. S. Moura
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  2. A. Vasconcellos
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  4. A. G. Bandeira
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Correspondence to A. G. Bandeira.

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Moura, F.M.S., Vasconcellos, A., Silva, N.B. et al. Caste development systems of the Neotropical termite Constrictotermes cyphergaster (Isoptera, Termitidae). Insect. Soc. 58, 169–175 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00040-010-0132-z

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