Physical contact between soldier and worker is essential in soldier self-regulation of Coptotermes formosanus (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae) |
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Authors: | S-L Dong L Mao G Henderson |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA;(2) Key Laboratory of Monitoring and Management of Plant Diseases and Insects, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China |
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Abstract: | In a termite society, the soldier proportion is regulated at a species-specific level with a seasonal fluctuation. A feedback
mechanism in soldier proportion regulation is well recognized, while the proximate means by which the presence of soldiers
inhibits the new soldier formation from workers remains mostly elusive. In the present study, some possible means for this
inhibition were tested with the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki. The results showed that neither soldier-originated volatiles nor non-volatile chemicals without physical contact
were responsible for the inhibition of new soldier formation. The essentiality of physical contact between workers and soldiers
in soldier regulation was established. However, by physical contacts, as the soldier-replacement experiment showed, workers
could not individually recognize or “count” soldiers to maintain a set soldier proportion. The possible feedback mechanisms
for soldier regulation are discussed. |
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Keywords: | :" target="_blank">: Formosan subterranean termite excretions secretions primer pheromone volatiles |
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