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da Silva LHB, Teixeira JAA, Laranjo LT, Costa-Leonardo AM, Vargo EL, Haifig I. Post-embryonic development of the female reproductive system of the Neotropical termite Silvestritermes euamignathus (Isoptera: Termitidae: Syntermitinae). ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2022; 71:101215. [PMID: 36279589 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2022.101215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In termites, the maturation of the female reproductive system is progressive following post-embryonic development. In Silvestritermes euamignathus, the imaginal line is characterized by five nymphal instars that develop into the imago, but it can deviate in some instars to neotenic reproductives. In order to understand the rate of development of the female reproductive system throughout post-embryonic development, we analyzed the morphology of the reproductive system of nymphs, characterizing the stage of development and comparing it with neotenics and primary queens. We also followed embryonic development and compared eggs from neotenics and primary queens from incipient and mature colonies. Our results showed that gonadal development follows the post-embryonic instars, and previtellogenic oocytes are present in third-instar nymphs and are retained for the next two successive nymphal instars. The full maturation of the ovaries with vitellogenic oocytes requires molting to either imagos or neotenics. Eggs from neotenics follow the same embryonic development and each stage presents similar volume when compared to those of mature primary queens. Eggs of primary queens from incipient colonies are greater in volume than those of mature primary queens and of neotenics, suggesting an investment in egg quality rather than quantity during colony foundation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiza Helena Bueno da Silva
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC - UFABC, Bloco Delta, Sala 241, Rua Arcturus, 03, Jardim Antares, São Bernardo Do Campo, SP, 09606-070, Brazil.
| | - Julia Ayumi Ando Teixeira
- Laboratório de Cupins, Departamento de Biologia Geral e Aplicada, Instituto de Biociências, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Av. 24A, 1515, 13506-900, Rio Claro, SP, Brazil.
| | - Lara Teixeira Laranjo
- Laboratório de Cupins, Departamento de Biologia Geral e Aplicada, Instituto de Biociências, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Av. 24A, 1515, 13506-900, Rio Claro, SP, Brazil.
| | - Ana Maria Costa-Leonardo
- Laboratório de Cupins, Departamento de Biologia Geral e Aplicada, Instituto de Biociências, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Av. 24A, 1515, 13506-900, Rio Claro, SP, Brazil.
| | - Edward L Vargo
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
| | - Ives Haifig
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC - UFABC, Bloco Delta, Sala 241, Rua Arcturus, 03, Jardim Antares, São Bernardo Do Campo, SP, 09606-070, Brazil.
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da Silva IB, Haifig I, Vargo EL, Casarin FE, da Mota ML, Lima JT, Costa-Leonardo AM. Ergatoid reproductives in the Neotropical termite Nasutitermes aquilinus (Holmgren) (Blattaria: Isoptera: Termitidae): developmental origin, fecundity, and genetics. INSECT SCIENCE 2020; 27:1322-1333. [PMID: 31553524 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Termite colonies are usually headed by primary reproductives, which establish nests during the swarming season. However, secondary reproductives may develop in some species and become supplementary or replacement breeders, extending colony lifespan. Here we investigate the developmental origin, fecundity and genetic characterization of ergatoid reproductives in the Neotropical termite Nasutitermes aquilinus (Holmgren), using morphometrical and histological techniques, five microsatellite loci and the COI mitochondrial DNA. Twelve measurements performed on 208 apterous individuals of N. aquilinus revealed 10 groups, including ergatoid females, which developed from major workers through two successive molts, and were characterized by the presence of imaginal features such as eyes and wing buds. The differentiation of these features was correlated to physogastric development in these ergatoids. Histology revealed oocytes in all maturation stages in worker-derived reproductives of N. aquilinus, presence of nonflagellate spermatozoa inside the spermatheca, and royal fat body. Thus, ergatoid reproductives were reproductively functional. According to the genotypes of 221 individuals from 11 nests, and mitochondrial haplotypes of 43 ergatoids, 73% of the colonies were simple families, whereas 27% were extended families. Despite the occurrence of related reproductives, low inbreeding rates were detected within and among colonies. Such values could be explained given that sib mating itself cannot result in a higher inbreeding rate but depend on several factors discussed in detail. This is the first study to investigate the genetic structure of termite colonies influenced by the development of ergatoids, and further investigations are encouraged to understand the influence of these reproductives on colony lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iago Bueno da Silva
- Laboratório de Cupins, Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
| | - Ives Haifig
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, SP, Brazil
| | - Edward L Vargo
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Fabiana Elaine Casarin
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-UNIFESP, Diadema, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Luiz da Mota
- Instituto de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, UFU, Monte Carmelo, MG, Brazil
| | - Juliana Toledo Lima
- Centro de Estudos em Recursos Naturais, Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul, Dourados, MS, Brazil
| | - Ana Maria Costa-Leonardo
- Laboratório de Cupins, Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
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Vargo EL. Diversity of Termite Breeding Systems. INSECTS 2019; 10:E52. [PMID: 30759735 PMCID: PMC6409762 DOI: 10.3390/insects10020052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Termites are social insects that live in colonies headed by reproductive castes. The breeding system is defined by the number of reproductive individuals in a colony and the castes to which they belong. There is tremendous variation in the breeding system of termites both within and among species. The current state of our understanding of termite breeding systems is reviewed. Most termite colonies are founded by a primary (alate-derived) king and queen who mate and produce the other colony members. In some species, colonies continue throughout their life span as simple families headed by the original king and queen. In others, the primary king and queen are replaced by numerous neotenic (nymph- or worker-derived) reproductives, or less commonly primary reproductives, that are descendants of the original founding pair leading to inbreeding in the colony. In still others, colonies can have multiple unrelated reproductives due to either founding the colonies as groups or through colony fusion. More recently, parthenogenetic reproduction has shown to be important in some termite species and may be widespread. A major challenge in termite biology is to understand the ecological and evolutionary factors driving the variation in termite breeding systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward L Vargo
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
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