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Biological changes in the Eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae) and its protozoa profile following starvation

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Abstract

The effects of starvation on survival, body mass, movement, other behavior, and the symbiotic protozoan community in Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) were investigated in a 40-day assay. Groups of 100 termites in their natural worker/soldier ratio (98/2) were tested. Starvation resulted in significantly greater mortality and induced more cannibalism of workers than in the control. Worker survival rate gradually declined to 58% along with an increasing rate of cannibalism during the first 30 days, and then quickly decreased to 5% along with an increasing rate of necrophagia after 30 days. In contrast, starvation had no significant effect on the survival of soldiers (60%) as compared to the control (90%) and starved workers did not cannibalize soldiers. Ten protozoan species residing in the hindgut were identified. When compared with field termites, the 40-day starvation eliminated 5 species (Trichonympha agilis, Pyrsonympha vertens, and P. major, D. gracilis, Holomastigotes elongatum), significantly reduced the numbers of two species (Dinenympha fimbriata, Spironympha kofoidi), had no effect on two species (Trichomitus trypanoides and Spirotrichonympha flagellata), and led to proliferation of one species (Monocercomonas sp.), whereas feeding on filter paper reduced the populations of five species (T. agilis, D. fimbriata, P. vertens, P. major, and S. flagellata) to different degrees. Workers surviving starvation had similar body mass and short-range movement speed to workers fed on filter paper and workers freshly collected from natural setting. The energy-demanding survival and walking indicated that they might obtain sufficient nutrients from cannibalizing other workers. The observed behaviors are important in helping to understand termite survival strategies and the mechanisms by which termites maintain their social structure under stressful conditions.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Michael Lenz, Matthew Roehrig, and Janette Lenz for constructive comments and editing various drafts of this manuscript. We thank John Vandenberg, David Grzywacz, Kenneth Vilson, Nannan Liu and Arthur Appel for helpful discussions. Two anonymous referees provided useful criticisms and helpful suggestions. Our special thanks go to Franklin Quarcoo and Lavanya Polana for technical assistance. This work was supported by the Multistate Hatch program of Auburn University.

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  1. Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, 203 Extension Hall, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA

    X. P. Hu

  2. Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100094, People’s Republic of China

    D. Song & X. Gao

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Hu, X.P., Song, D. & Gao, X. Biological changes in the Eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae) and its protozoa profile following starvation. Insect. Soc. 58, 39–45 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00040-010-0114-1

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