Polyethism in food supply and processing in termite colonies of Macrotermes subhyalinus (Isoptera) (original) (raw)

• 338 Accesses
• 76 Citations
• Explore all metrics

Summary

Plant material brought into the colony of the fungus-growing termite Macrotermes subhyalinus is processed exclusively by the castes of sterile adult individuals. There is a division of labour based partly on caste and partly on age groups:

88.8% of the foragers are major workers, 9.2% minor workers and 2% soldiers. The age of 97% of the foragers is more than 30 days after ecdysis.

Major and minor workers less than 30 days old take in the material collected and deposit it after passage through the intestine. In this way they build up the fungus comp.

The fungus comb is later consumed by major and minor workers more than 30 days old; these workers produce final faeces.

Soldiers are fed fungus comb material by workers.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

• Get 10 units per month
• Download Article/Chapter or eBook
• 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
• Cancel anytime Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

• Abo Khatwa N (1977) Biochemistry of fungus combs and their role in nutrition of the termites. Proc VIII Congr IUSSI, Wageningen, pp 253–256
• Coator WGH (1958) The hodotermitid harvester termites of South Africa. Dept Agric Sci Bull S Afr Entomol (Ser 375) 43:1–112
  Google Scholar
• Darlington JPEC (1980) Termite population ecology. 7th Annu Rep ICIPE 1979, Nairobi, p 72
• Dew EH, Michener CD (1981) Division of labor among workers of Polistes metricus (Hymenoptera: Vespidae): laboratory foraging activities. Insectes Soc 28:87–101
  Google Scholar
• Grassé PP (1978) Sur la véritable nature et la rôle des meules à champignons construites par les termites (Isoptera Termitidae). CR Acad Sci Nat Paris [D] 287:1223–1226
  Google Scholar
• Horstmann K (1972) Untersuchungen zur Größenverteilung bei den Außendienstarbeiterinnen der Waldameise Formica polyctena Foerster (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Waldhygiene 9:193–201
  Google Scholar
• Lindauer M (1953) Division of labour in the honeybee colony. Bee World 34:63–90
  Google Scholar
• Lüscher M (1949) Continuous observation of the termites in laboratory cultures. Acta Trop [VI] 2:161–165
  Google Scholar
• MacMahan EA (1979) Temporal polyethism in the termites. Sociobiology 4:153–168
  Google Scholar
• Noirot C (1969) Formation of castes in the higher termites. In: Krishna K, Weesner FM (eds) Biology of termites, vol I. Academic Press, New York, pp 311–350
  Google Scholar
• Otto D (1958) Über die Arbeitsteilung im Staat von Formica rufa und ihre verhaltensphysiologischen Grundlagen: Ein Beitrag zur Biologie der roten Waldameise. Wiss Abh Dtsch Akad Landwirtschaftswiss (Berl) 30:1–169
  Google Scholar
• Oster GF, Wilson E (1978) Caste and ecology in the social insects. Princeton University Press, Princeton (New Jersey)
  Google Scholar
• Pasteels JM (1965) Polyéthisme chez les ouvriers de Nasutitermes lujae. Biol Gabonica 1:191–205
  Google Scholar
• Porter SD, Jorgensen CD (1981) Foragers of the harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex owyheei: a disposable caste? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 9:247–256
  Google Scholar
• Rösch GA (1925) Untersuchungen über die Arbeitsteilung im Bienenstaat. Z Vergl Physiol 2:571–631
  Google Scholar
• Sands WA (1960) The initiation of fungus combs construction in laboratory colonies of Ancistrotermes guineensis (Silvestri). Insectes Soc 7:251–259
  Google Scholar
• Sieber R, Leuthold RH (1981) Behavioural elements and their meaning in incipient laboratory colonies of the fungus growing termite Macrotermes michaelseni (Isoptera: Macrotermitinae). Insectes Soc 28:371–382
  Google Scholar
• Sieber R, Leuthold RH (1982) Development of the physogastry in the queen of the fungus-growing termite Macrotermes michaelseni (Isoptera: Macrotermitinae). J Insect Physiol (in press)
• Weir JS (1958) Polyethism in workers of the ant Myrmica. Insectes Soc 5:315–339
  Google Scholar
• Wilson E (1980) Caste and division of labor in leaf-cutter ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Atta). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 7:143–156
  Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

1. Zoologisches Institut, Universität Bern, Erlachstrasse 9a, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland
   Susanna Badertscher, C. Gerber & R. H. Leuthold

Authors

1. Susanna Badertscher
   You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
2. C. Gerber
   You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
3. R. H. Leuthold
   You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Badertscher, S., Gerber, C. & Leuthold, R.H. Polyethism in food supply and processing in termite colonies of Macrotermes subhyalinus (Isoptera).Behav Ecol Sociobiol 12, 115–119 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00343201

Download citation

• Received: 05 July 1982
• Accepted: 10 December 1982
• Issue Date: May 1983
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00343201

Keywords