1
|
Dos Santos Moreira LM, Marinho LS, Neves RCS, Harakava R, Bessa LA, Vitorino LC. Assessment of the Entomopathogenic Potential of Fungal and Bacterial Isolates from Fall Armyworm Cadavers Against Spodoptera frugiperda Caterpillars and the Adult Boll Weevil, Anthonomus grandis. NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2024; 53:889-906. [PMID: 38714593 PMCID: PMC11255027 DOI: 10.1007/s13744-024-01159-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/10/2024]
Abstract
Increased attention is being focused on the biological control of agricultural pests using microorganisms, owing to their potential as a viable substitute for chemical control methods. Insect cadavers constitute a potential source of entomopathogenic microorganisms. We tested whether bacteria and fungi isolated from Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) cadavers could affect its survival, development, egg-laying pattern, and hatchability, as well as induce mortality in Anthonomus grandis Boheman adults. We isolated the bacteria Enterobacter hormaechei and Serratia marcescens and the fungi Scopulariopsis sp. and Aspergillus nomiae from fall armyworm cadavers and the pest insects were subjected to an artificial diet enriched with bacteria cells or fungal spores to be tested, in the case of S. frugiperda, and only fungal spores in the case of A. grandis. Enterobacter hormaechei and A. nomiae were pathogenic to S. frugiperda, affecting the survival of adults and pupae. The fungus Scopulariopsis sp. does not affect the survival of S. frugiperda caterpillars and pupae; however, due to late action, moths and eggs may be affected. Aspergillus nomiae also increased mortality of A. grandis adults, as well as the development of S. frugiperda in the early stages of exposure to the diet, as indicated by the vertical spore transfer to offspring and low hatchability. Enterobacter hormaechei and A. nomiae are potential biocontrol agents for these pests, and warrant further investigation from a toxicological point of view and subsequently in field tests involving formulations that could improve agricultural sustainability practices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lidiane Maria Dos Santos Moreira
- Instituto Goiano de Agricultura (IGA), Montividiu, GO, Brazil
- Lab of Agricultural Microbiology, Instituto Federal Goiano, Rio Verde Campus, Rio Verde, GO, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Layara Alexandre Bessa
- Lab of Biodiversity Metabolism and Genetics, Instituto Federal Goiano, Rio Verde Campus, Rio Verde, GO, Brazil
- Simple Agro Corporation, Rio Verde, GO, Brazil
| | - Luciana Cristina Vitorino
- Simple Agro Corporation, Rio Verde, GO, Brazil.
- Lab of Agricultural Microbiology, Instituto Federal Goiano, Rio Verde Campus, Rio Verde, GO, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Stewart AD, Herrick CM, Fitzgibbon TR, Wehner JM, Lev A, Venti PA, Pischedda A. Life history changes associated with over 400 generations of artificial selection on body size in Drosophila. J Evol Biol 2024; 37:851-861. [PMID: 38809925 DOI: 10.1093/jeb/voae066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Body size is a trait that shapes many aspects of a species' development and evolution. Larger body size is often beneficial in animals, but it can also be associated with life history costs in natural systems. Similarly, miniaturization, the evolution of extremely small adult body size, is found in every major animal group, yet carries its own life history trade-offs. Given that these effects can depend on an animal's environment and life stage and have mainly been studied in species that are already specialized for their size, the life history changes associated with evolutionary shifts in body size warrant additional investigation. Here, we used Drosophila melanogaster populations that had undergone over 400 generations of artificial selection on body size to investigate the changes in life history traits associated with the evolution of extremely large and extremely small body sizes. Populations selected for small body size experienced strong trade-offs in multiple life history traits, including reduced female fecundity and lower juvenile viability. Although we found positively correlated changes in egg size associated with selection for both large and small body size, after adjusting for female body size, females from populations selected for large size had the lowest relative investment per egg and females from populations selected for small size had the highest relative investment per egg. Taken together, our results suggest that egg size may be a key constraint on the evolution of body size in D. melanogaster, providing insight into the broader phenomenon of body size evolution in insects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D Stewart
- Department of Biology, Canisius University, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Calvin M Herrick
- Department of Biology, Canisius University, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | | | - James M Wehner
- Department of Biology, Canisius University, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Avigayil Lev
- Department of Biology, Barnard College, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Patricia A Venti
- Department of Biology, Canisius University, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Alison Pischedda
- Department of Biology, Barnard College, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Chen J, Setia G, Lin LH, Sun Q, Husseneder C. Weight and protozoa number but not bacteria diversity are associated with successful pair formation of dealates in the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0293813. [PMID: 37956140 PMCID: PMC10642788 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
New colonies of Formosan subterranean termites are founded by monogamous pairs. During swarming season, alates (winged reproductives) leave their parental colony. After swarming, they drop to the ground, shed their wings, and male and female dealates find suitable nesting sites where they mate and become kings and queens of new colonies. The first generation of offspring is entirely dependent on the nutritional resources of the founder pair consisting of the fat and protein reserves of the dealates and their microbiota, which include the cellulose-digesting protozoa and diverse bacteria. Since termite kings and queens can live for decades, mate for life and colony success is linked to those initial resources, we hypothesized that gut microbiota of founders affect pair formation. To test this hypothesis, we collected pairs found in nest chambers and single male and female dealates from four swarm populations. The association of three factors (pairing status, sex of the dealates and population) with dealate weights, total protozoa, and protozoa Pseudotrichonympha grassii numbers in dealate hindguts was determined. In addition, Illumina 16S rRNA gene sequencing and the QIIME2 pipeline were used to determine the impact of those three factors on gut bacteria diversity of dealates. Here we report that pairing status was significantly affected by weight and total protozoa numbers, but not by P. grassii numbers and bacteria diversity. Weight and total protozoa numbers were higher in paired compared to single dealates. Males contained significantly higher P. grassii numbers and bacteria richness and marginally higher phylogenetic diversity despite having lower weights than females. In conclusion, this study showed that dealates with high body weight and protozoa numbers are more likely to pair and become colony founders, probably because of competitive advantage. The combined nutritional resources provided by body weight and protozoa symbionts of the parents are important for successful colony foundation and development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Junyan Chen
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Los Angeles, United States of America
| | - Garima Setia
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Los Angeles, United States of America
| | - Li-Hsiang Lin
- Department of Experimental Statistics, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Los Angeles, United States of America
| | - Qian Sun
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Los Angeles, United States of America
| | - Claudia Husseneder
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Los Angeles, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Tong RL, Patel JS, Gordon JM, Lee SB, Chouvenc T, Su NY. Exuviae Recycling Can Enhance Queen Oviposition and Colony Growth in Subterranean Termites (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae: Coptotermes). ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 52:254-258. [PMID: 36773009 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvad009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Wood-feeding termites have a nitrogen-poor diet and have therefore evolved nitrogen conservation strategies. However, termite workers molt periodically, and throughout the lifetime of a colony, millions of exuviae, a nitrogen-rich resource, are produced by the colony. In Coptotermes Wasmann, workers foraging at remote feeding sites must return to the central part of the nest to molt, where the queen, king, eggs, and larvae are located. It was hypothesized that this molting-site fidelity is an efficient way to recycle nitrogen for reproduction and colony growth, as nestmates involved in exuviae consumption can directly transfer such resources to individuals engaged in reproduction (the queen) or growth (larvae). This study investigates whether incipient colonies of C. gestroi (Wasmann) can gain additional biomass when they are fed supplementary exuviae. Incipient colonies were reared in nitrogen-poor or nitrogen-rich conditions, and 0, 1, 5, or 10 exuviae were added to 3-month-old colonies. After 6.5 months, colonies reared in nitrogen-poor environments gained significantly more biomass when exuviae were added than colonies with no added exuviae. However, the addition of exuviae had no effect on colony growth for colonies reared in nitrogen-rich environments. In a second experiment, queens from colonies in which exuviae were effectively removed laid fewer eggs than queens from colonies in which exuviae were not removed. Therefore, consumption of exuviae from molting individuals by nestmates is an important part of the nitrogen recycling strategy in Coptotermes colonies, as it facilitates queen oviposition and colony growth, especially when such colonies have limited access to nitrogen-rich soils.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Reina L Tong
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL, 33314, USA
| | - Jayshree S Patel
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL, 33314, USA
| | - Johnalyn M Gordon
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL, 33314, USA
| | - Sang-Bin Lee
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL, 33314, USA
| | - Thomas Chouvenc
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL, 33314, USA
| | - Nan-Yao Su
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL, 33314, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Tong RL, Choi EK, Ugarelli K, Chouvenc T, Su NY. Trophic Path of Marked Exuviae Within Colonies of Coptotermes gestroi (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae). JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2023; 23:3. [PMID: 36916276 PMCID: PMC10011875 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iead007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen, a limiting growth factor in wood-feeding insects, was hypothesized to play a role in the recently discovered behavior of subterranean termites returning to the nest to molt. Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann) exuviae is approximately 11% N by dry weight, and therefore a potentially rich source of recyclable nitrogen. Exuviae from a C. gestroi colony were marked with immunoglobulin G (IgG) and were fed to two-year-old C. gestroi colonies. IgG-marked exuviae were detected with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The IgG marker was later detected in every caste and life stage except first-instar larvae (L1). The proportion of individuals positive for the marker varied by caste, with the queens always being positive for the marker. The queens and second-or-higher-instar workers (W2+) had significantly higher concentrations of the marker than the eggs and L1. The trophic path of exuviae includes individuals that directly fed on marked exuviae (workers and possibly second-instar larvae) and individuals that secondarily received marked exuviae through trophallaxis (queens, kings, and soldiers). This study described the trophic path of consumed exuviae and demonstrated its role in the recycling of nitrogen in a subterranean termite. Molting at the central nest may be an efficient means to transfer nitrogen from shed exuviae to recipients and may be a nitrogen recycling behavior conserved from a termite ancestor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Eun-Kyung Choi
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL, USA
| | - Kelly Ugarelli
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL, USA
| | - Thomas Chouvenc
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL, USA
| | - Nan-Yao Su
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
To Save Pangolins: A Nutritional Perspective. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12223137. [PMID: 36428365 PMCID: PMC9686612 DOI: 10.3390/ani12223137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Pangolins are one of the world's most trafficked mammals. Since pangolins are highly adapted to ants and termites, they are important for controlling forest termite infestations. In addition to their ecological value, pangolins have economic and medicinal value. Currently, poaching and habitat destruction have radically reduced the number of pangolins, and Manis pentadactyla, Manis javanica, and Manis culionensis are now considered the most threatened pangolin species. In addition to the control of hunting and illegal trade, ex situ breeding is also a useful conservation method. However, many technical obstacles still limit the success of ex situ pangolin breeding. The special feeding traits of pangolins require a diet that meets nutritional and ethological needs. Based on the existing literature and practical experience, this review aims to compare the natural diet and successful diet in the human care of pangolins, to outline the key factors of successful ex situ maintenance from a dietary perspective, and the strategies to improve their conservation success in animal care centers and in the wild. The type of food used in successful pangolin protection agencies is quite variable in nutritional composition. In the diet of pangolins in the wild, the nutrient profile of different species of termites and ants and even the same species of termites and ants but different types (queens, soldiers, etc.) also displays differences. The crude protein content of some ants is higher than that of other foods, such as eggs, milk, and common cat food. The mineral and vitamin concentrations of ants also exceed many common food items, such as oil, meat, and eggs. However, not much is known about the bioavailability of minerals from ants and termites. Based on comparisons between foods, it is clear that the main difference between diets in the wild and in human care of pangolins is that the latter contains fewer insects and vitamins, such as vitamin E, vitamin A, and vitamin B2, and more carbohydrates and non-protein substances than the former. Although many successful dietary formulae have been developed, the pangolin's nutritional needs are still less well studied. A diet with the nutrient concentrations observed in the wild may add to successful ex situ conservation.
Collapse
|
7
|
Lee SB, Chouvenc T, Mizumoto N, Mullins A, Su NY. Age-based spatial distribution of workers is resilient to worker loss in a subterranean termite. Sci Rep 2022; 12:7837. [PMID: 35552445 PMCID: PMC9098853 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11512-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Elaborate task allocation is key to the ecological success of eusocial insects. Termite colonies are known for exhibiting age polyethism, with older instars more likely to depart the reproductive center to access food. However, it remains unknown how termites retain this spatial structure against external disturbances. Here we show that a subterranean termite Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki combines age polyethism and behavioral flexibility to maintain a constant worker proportion at the food area. Since this termite inhabits multiple wood pieces by connecting them through underground tunnels, disastrous colony splitting events can result in the loss of colony members. We simulated this via weekly removal of all individuals at the food area. Our results showed that termites maintained a worker proportion of ~ 20% at the food area regardless of changes in total colony size and demographic composition, where younger workers replaced food acquisition functions to maintain a constant worker proportion at the food area. Food consumption analysis revealed that the per-capita food consumption rate decreased with younger workers, but the colony did not compensate for the deficiency by increasing the proportion of workers at the feeding site. These results suggest that termite colonies prioritize risk management of colony fragmentation while maintaining suitable food acquisition efficiency with the next available workers in the colony, highlighting the importance of task allocation for colony resiliency under fluctuating environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sang-Bin Lee
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, 3205 College Avenue, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 33314, USA.
| | - Thomas Chouvenc
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, 3205 College Avenue, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 33314, USA
| | - Nobuaki Mizumoto
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna-son, Okinawa, 940-0495, Japan
| | - Aaron Mullins
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, 3205 College Avenue, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 33314, USA
| | - Nan-Yao Su
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, 3205 College Avenue, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 33314, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Mizumoto N, Bourguignon T. The evolution of body size in termites. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211458. [PMID: 34784763 PMCID: PMC8596001 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Termites are social cockroaches. Because non-termite cockroaches are larger than basal termite lineages, which themselves include large termite species, it has been proposed that termites experienced a unidirectional body size reduction since they evolved eusociality. However, the validity of this hypothesis remains untested in a phylogenetic framework. Here, we reconstructed termite body size evolution using head width measurements of 1638 modern and fossil termite species. We found that the unidirectional body size reduction model was only supported by analyses excluding fossil species. Analyses including fossil species suggested that body size diversified along with speciation events and estimated that the size of the common ancestor of modern termites was comparable to that of modern species. Our analyses further revealed that body size variability among species, but not body size reduction, is associated with features attributed to advanced termite societies. Our results suggest that miniaturization took place at the origin of termites, while subsequent complexification of termite societies did not lead to further body size reduction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nobuaki Mizumoto
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Thomas Bourguignon
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Soil organic matter is essential for colony growth in subterranean termites. Sci Rep 2021; 11:21252. [PMID: 34711880 PMCID: PMC8553850 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00674-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Intrinsic dinitrogen (N2) fixation by diazotrophic bacteria in termite hindguts has been considered an important pathway for nitrogen acquisition in termites. However, studies that supported this claim focused on measuring instant N2 fixation rates and failed to address their relationship with termite colony growth and reproduction over time. We here argue that not all wood-feeding termites rely on symbiotic diazotrophic bacteria for colony growth. The present study looks at dietary nitrogen acquisition in a subterranean termite (Rhinotermitidae, Coptotermes). Young termite colonies reared with wood and nitrogen-rich organic soil developed faster, compared to those reared on wood and inorganic sand. More critically, further colony development was arrested if access to organic soil was removed. In addition, no difference of relative nitrogenase expression rates was found when comparing the hindguts of termites reared between the two conditions. We therefore propose that subterranean termite (Rhinotermitidae) colony growth is no longer restricted to metabolically expensive intrinsic N2 fixation, as the relationship between diazotrophic bacteria and subterranean termites may primarily be trophic rather than symbiotic. Such reliance of Rhinotermitidae on soil microbial decomposition activity for optimal colony growth may also have had a critical mechanistic role in the initial emergence of Termitidae.
Collapse
|
10
|
Yaguchi H, Kobayashi I, Maekawa K, Nalepa CA. Extra-pair paternity in the wood-feeding cockroach Cryptocercus punctulatus Scudder: Social but not genetic monogamy. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:6743-6758. [PMID: 34543485 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Subsocial Cryptocercus cockroaches are the sister group to termites and considered to be socially monogamous. Because genetic monogamy is a suggested requirement for evolution of cooperative breeding/eusociality, particularly in hymenopterans, clarification of the mating biology of Cryptocercus would help illuminate evolutionary trends in eusocial insects. To investigate possible extra-pair paternity in C. punctulatus, microsatellite markers were used to analyse offspring parentage, the stored sperm in females and results of experimental manipulation of sperm competition. Extra-pair paternity was common in field-collected families, but a lack of maternal alleles in several nymphs suggests sampling error or adoption. Isolating prereproductive pairs and assaying subsequently produced nymphs confirmed that nymphs lacked alleles from the pair male in 40% of families, with extra-pair male(s) siring 27%-77% of nymphs. Sperm of extra-pair males was detected in the spermatheca of 51% of paired prereproductive females. Mate switching and surgical manipulation of male mating ability indicated a tendency towards last male sperm precedence. Overall, the results demonstrate that about half of young females are serially monogamous during their maturational year, but bond, overwinter and produce their only set of offspring in company of the last mated male (=pair male). Repeated mating by the pair male increases the number of nymphs sired, but because many females use stored sperm of previous copulatory partners to fertilize eggs, pair males extend parental care to unrelated nymphs. The results suggest that genetic monogamy either developed in the termite ancestor after splitting from the Cryptocercus lineage, or that genetic monogamy may not be a strict prerequisite for the evolution of termite eusociality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hajime Yaguchi
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.,Department of Bioscience, School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, Sanda, Japan
| | - Itaru Kobayashi
- School of Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.,Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Maekawa
- Faculty of Science, Academic Assembly, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Christine A Nalepa
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Gutiérrez Y, Fresch M, Hellmann SL, Hankeln T, Scherber C, Brockmeyer J. A multifactorial proteomics approach to sex‐specific effects of diet composition and social environment in an omnivorous insect. Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yeisson Gutiérrez
- Centro de Bioinformática y Biología Computacional de Colombia – BIOS Manizales Colombia
| | - Marion Fresch
- Department Food Chemistry Institute for Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry University of Stuttgart Stuttgart Germany
| | - Sören L. Hellmann
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolutionary Biology University of Mainz Mainz Germany
| | - Thomas Hankeln
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolutionary Biology University of Mainz Mainz Germany
| | - Christoph Scherber
- Institute of Landscape Ecology University of Münster Münster Germany
- Centre for Biodiversity Monitoring Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig Bonn Germany
| | - Jens Brockmeyer
- Department Food Chemistry Institute for Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry University of Stuttgart Stuttgart Germany
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Tong RL, Aguilera-Olivares D, Chouvenc T, Su NY. Nitrogen content of the exuviae of Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann) (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae). Heliyon 2021; 7:e06697. [PMID: 33912704 PMCID: PMC8065188 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Subterranean termites are hemimetabolous social insects where most of the individuals in a colony molt on a regular basis until they die. Nitrogen is a limiting growth factor in wood-feeding insects, such as termites. Because the exuviae of molting termites are consumed by nestmates, it is possible that exuviae represent a potential source of nitrogen that could be recycled and be part of the overall nitrogen conservation strategy of the colony. Although it was documented that cockroach exuviae can contain relatively high levels of nitrogen, the nitrogen content of subterranean termite exuviae has not been examined. This study determines the nitrogen content of Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann) exuviae collected from four-year-old laboratory colonies using a carbon/nitrogen analyzer. Coptotermes gestroi exuviae contained 11.24 ± 0.64% N (Mean ± SD). The exuviae had a higher proportion of nitrogen than whole bodies of termites (~10.46%), wood (~0.12%), and organic soil (~2.49%). These results support the importance of exuviae consumption by nestmates during the ecdysis process as an aspect of nitrogen conservation strategies in Coptotermes colonies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Reina L Tong
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL, 33314, USA
| | - Daniel Aguilera-Olivares
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL, 33314, USA
| | - Thomas Chouvenc
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL, 33314, USA
| | - Nan-Yao Su
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL, 33314, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Chouvenc T, Šobotník J, Engel MS, Bourguignon T. Termite evolution: mutualistic associations, key innovations, and the rise of Termitidae. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:2749-2769. [PMID: 33388854 PMCID: PMC11071720 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-020-03728-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Termites are a clade of eusocial wood-feeding roaches with > 3000 described species. Eusociality emerged ~ 150 million years ago in the ancestor of modern termites, which, since then, have acquired and sometimes lost a series of adaptive traits defining of their evolution. Termites primarily feed on wood, and digest cellulose in association with their obligatory nutritional mutualistic gut microbes. Recent advances in our understanding of termite phylogenetic relationships have served to provide a tentative timeline for the emergence of innovative traits and their consequences on the ecological success of termites. While all "lower" termites rely on cellulolytic protists to digest wood, "higher" termites (Termitidae), which comprise ~ 70% of termite species, do not rely on protists for digestion. The loss of protists in Termitidae was a critical evolutionary step that fostered the emergence of novel traits, resulting in a diversification of morphology, diets, and niches to an extent unattained by "lower" termites. However, the mechanisms that led to the initial loss of protists and the succession of events that took place in the termite gut remain speculative. In this review, we provide an overview of the key innovative traits acquired by termites during their evolution, which ultimately set the stage for the emergence of "higher" termites. We then discuss two hypotheses concerning the loss of protists in Termitidae, either through an externalization of the digestion or a dietary transition. Finally, we argue that many aspects of termite evolution remain speculative, as most termite biological diversity and evolutionary trajectories have yet to be explored.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Chouvenc
- Entomology and Nematology Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, Ft Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL, USA.
| | - Jan Šobotník
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Michael S Engel
- Division of Entomology, Natural History Museum, and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, 1501 Crestline Drive, Suite 140, Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA
| | - Thomas Bourguignon
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic.
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna-son, Okinawa, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Lee SB, Chouvenc T, Patel J, Su NY. Altered Mobility and Accumulation of Inefficient Workers in Juvenile Hybrid Termite Colonies. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.589762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hybridization of two different species is an important mechanism to have gene flows between species. Recently, mating of two economically important invasive species of subterranean termites (Coptotermes formosanusandCoptotermes gestroi) have been observed in the field and hybrids colonies have been established in the laboratory. It was previously reported that incipient colonies (~1 year old) of hybridCoptotermesspecies contained more termites than colonies of parental species, showing hybrid vigor. In this study, colony vigor and individual termite vigor were investigated in juvenile colonies (~2 year old), using colony growth parameters and the movement activity of individual termites as proxies for the evaluation of hybrid vigor beyond the initial colony foundation. After 2 years from colony foundations, hybrid colonies showed no more hybrid vigor. In addition, movement activity of termites in hybrid colonies was significantly slower than in termites from conspecific colonies. It is suggested that a reduction in the molting rates of individuals in hybrid colonies may have a negative impact on their physiology and their movement activity. These possible changes in physiology may affect the movement of individuals, and accumulation of these inefficient termites in hybrid colonies may contribute to the loss of hybrid vigor at 2 years of age in hybrid colonies.
Collapse
|
15
|
Pequeno PACL, Graça MB, Oliveira JR, Šobotník J, Acioli ANS. Can shifts in metabolic scaling predict coevolution between diet quality and body size? Evolution 2020; 75:141-148. [PMID: 33196103 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/25/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Larger species tend to feed on abundant resources, which nonetheless have lower quality or degradability, the so-called Jarman-Bell principle. The "eat more" hypothesis posits that larger animals compensate for lower quality diets through higher consumption rates. If so, evolutionary shifts in metabolic scaling should affect the scope for this compensation, but whether this has happened is unknown. Here, we investigated this issue using termites, major tropical detritivores that feed along a humification gradient ranging from dead plant tissue to mineral soil. Metabolic scaling is shallower in termites with pounding mandibles adapted to soil-like substrates than in termites with grinding mandibles adapted to fibrous plant tissue. Accordingly, we predicted that only larger species of the former group should have more humified, lower quality diets, given their higher scope to compensate for such a diet. Using literature data on 65 termite species, we show that diet humification does increase with body size in termites with pounding mandibles, but is weakly related to size in termites with grinding mandibles. Our findings suggest that evolution of metabolic scaling may shape the strength of the Jarman-Bell principle.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pedro A C L Pequeno
- Roraima Research Nucleus, National Institute for Amazonia Research, R. Cel. Pinto, 315, Centro, Boa Vista - RR, CEP:, 69301-150, Brazil
| | - Márlon B Graça
- Federal Institute for Education, Science and Technology of Amazonas, Estr. Coari Itapeua, s/n - Itamarati, Coari - AM, CEP:, 69460-000, Brazil
| | - João R Oliveira
- Entomology Program, National Institute for Amazonia Research, Av. André Araújo, 2.936, Petrópolis, Manaus - AM, CEP: 69067-375, Brazil
| | - Jan Šobotník
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha 6 - Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Agno N S Acioli
- Faculty of Agrarian Sciences, Federal University of Amazonas, Av. General Rodrigo Octavio Jordão Ramos, 1200, Coroado I, Manaus - AM, CEP: 69067-005, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Mizumoto N, Rizo A, Pratt SC, Chouvenc T. Termite males enhance mating encounters by changing speed according to density. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:2542-2552. [PMID: 32799344 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Search theory predicts that animals evolve efficient movement patterns to enhance encounter rates with specific targets. The optimal movements vary with the surrounding environments, which may explain the observation that animals often switch their movement patterns depending on conditions. However, the effectiveness of behavioural change during search is rarely evaluated because it is difficult to examine the actual encounter dynamics. Here we studied how partner-seeking termites update their search strategies depending on the local densities of potential mates. After a dispersal flight, termites drop their wings and walk to search for a mate; when a female and a male meet, they form a female-led tandem pair and search for a favourable nesting site. If a pair is separated, they have two search options-reunite with their stray partner, or seek a new partner. We hypothesized that the density of individuals affects separation-reunion dynamics and thus the optimal search strategy. We observed the searching process across different densities and found that termite pairs were often separated but obtained a new partner quickly at high mate density. After separation, while females consistently slowed down, males increased their speed according to the density. Under high mate density, separated males obtained a partner earlier than females, who do not change movement with density. Our data-based simulations confirmed that the observed behavioural change by males contributes to enhancing encounters. Males at very low mate densities did best to move slowly and thereby reduce the risk of missing their stray partner, who is the only available mate. On the other hand, males that experienced high mate densities did better in mating encounters by moving fast because the risk of isolation is low, and they must compete with other males to find a partner. These results demonstrate that termite males adaptively update their search strategy depending on conditions. Understanding the encounter dynamics experienced by animals is key to connecting the empirical work to the idealized search processes of theoretical studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nobuaki Mizumoto
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.,Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Arturo Rizo
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Stephen C Pratt
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Thomas Chouvenc
- Entomology and Nematology Department, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Sun NCM, Lo FHY, Chen BY, Yu HY, Liang CC, Lin CC, Chin SC, Li HF. Digesta retention time and recovery rates of ants and termites in Chinese pangolins (Manis pentadactyla). Zoo Biol 2020; 39:168-175. [PMID: 32039510 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Revised: 12/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Pangolins are myrmecophagous mammals whose biology and ecology remain poorly studied. Termite mandibles and ant head capsules are the two primary remains found in pangolin feces. Determining the retention time of insect cuticles is important for understanding the digestive physiology of pangolins, while determining the recovery rate of termites and ants in feces is required to estimate the number of these prey items that are consumed by pangolins. In this study, the authors conducted feeding trials with captive Chinese pangolins (Manis pentadactyla). Sixty grams of the fungus-growing termite Odontotermes formosanus (18,816 individuals) and 15-20 g of the yellow crazy ant Anoplolepis gracilipes (14,400-19,200 individuals) were fed to each pangolin. After feeding, pangolin feces were collected daily for 1 week. The authors also assessed the accuracy of using chromium (III) oxide powder (Cr2 O3 ) as a proxy for determining gut passage time, as has been done in previous studies. The results showed that remaining termite mandibles and ant head capsules in feces peaked at 66 and 90 hr after feeding and their recovery rates were 0.35 ± 0.10 and 0.65 ± 0.04, respectively. In both feeding trials, the retention time of Cr2 O3 was much shorter than that of the termite mandibles and ant head capsules, indicating that Cr2 O3 is not an appropriate indicator for estimating food retention time of myrmecophagous animals. Our results revealed that the ant head capsules were preserved better in feces compared with the termite mandibles, suggesting that termites may be considerably underestimated in the feces of wild pangolins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nick Ching-Min Sun
- Graduate Institute of Bioresources, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan.,IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group, Zoological Society of London, London, UK
| | - Flora Hsuan-Yi Lo
- IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group, Zoological Society of London, London, UK.,Taipei Zoo, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Bo-Ye Chen
- Department of Entomology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | | | - Chun-Chieh Liang
- Institute of Wildlife Conservation, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Chi Lin
- Department of Biology, National Changhua University of Education, Changhua, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Chien Chin
- IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group, Zoological Society of London, London, UK.,Taipei Zoo, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hou-Feng Li
- Department of Entomology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Dahlsjö CAL, Valladares Romero CS, Espinosa Iñiguez CI. Termite Diversity in Ecuador: A Comparison of Two Primary Forest National Parks. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2020; 20:5698565. [PMID: 31916581 PMCID: PMC6950023 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iez129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Termites are one of the key ecosystem engineers in tropical forests where they play a major role in decomposition rates, both above and belowground. The interest in termite ecology and biogeography has increased in the last few decades; however, the lack of comparable data has limited the wider impact of termite research. For Ecuador, termite studies are relatively rare and comparable data that are collected using standardized sampling methods are missing. In this study, we aim to 1) provide comparable data of termite species and feeding-group diversity from two primary forests in Ecuador and 2) explore the differences in termite species and feeding-group diversity between the two forest sites. Sampling took place in the national parks of Yasuní and Podocarpus where three belt transects (100 × 2 m) following Jones and Eggleton (2000) were conducted in each forest. We found that termite species richness was higher in Yasuní (56 species) than in Podocarpus (24 species) and that 57% of the sampled termite genera had never previously been recorded in Ecuador. The inter-site species dissimilarity was almost complete (Bray Curtis (±SD), 0.91 ± 0.01), which may have been linked to the difference in tree density and species richness in the two forests. Termite feeding-groups diversity was significantly higher in Yasuní than in Podocarpus with the exception of soil-feeding termites which may have been due to competition between humus- and soil-feeding species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia A L Dahlsjö
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, United Kingdom
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Cole EL, Rosengaus RB. Pathogenic Dynamics During Colony Ontogeny Reinforce Potential Drivers of Termite Eusociality: Mate Assistance and Biparental Care. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
|
20
|
Suzuki R, Yaguchi H, Maekawa K. Histone modifying genes are involved in the molting period during soldier differentiation in Zootermopsis nevadensis. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 117:103892. [PMID: 31170409 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2019.103892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 05/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/01/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Caste differentiation in eusocial insects is an outstanding example of phenotypic plasticity. Recent studies indicate that epigenetic regulation, including DNA methylation and histone modification, play a role in the morphological and behavioral polyphenism observed in the caste differentiation of hymenopteran insects. The role of epigenetic regulation in termite caste differentiation, however, is still obscure. In this study, we performed a functional analysis of epigenetic-related genes during soldier differentiation in Zootermopsis nevadensis, for which the entire genome sequence is available. In an incipient colony of this species, the oldest 3rd instar larva (No. 1 larva) always differentiates into a presoldier (intermediate stage of soldier), and the next-oldest 3rd instar larva (No. 2 larva) molts into a 4th instar (which functions as a worker). First, we detected seven epigenetic-related genes with significantly increased expression levels in the soldier-destined No. 1 larvae using RNA-seq data. Second, RNA interference (RNAi) of these seven genes was performed in the No. 1 larvae. RNAi of three histone modifying genes extended the presoldier molting period. Furthermore, these RNAi treatments reduced the expression levels of genes involved in juvenile hormone (JH) synthesis, binding and signaling. These results indicate that epigenetic-related genes do not directly affect termite soldier differentiation; nonetheless, some histone modifying genes have an effect on molting periods, possibly due to the regulation of JH action during soldier differentiation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryutaro Suzuki
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Hajime Yaguchi
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan; Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Maekawa
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Evangelista DA, Wipfler B, Béthoux O, Donath A, Fujita M, Kohli MK, Legendre F, Liu S, Machida R, Misof B, Peters RS, Podsiadlowski L, Rust J, Schuette K, Tollenaar W, Ware JL, Wappler T, Zhou X, Meusemann K, Simon S. An integrative phylogenomic approach illuminates the evolutionary history of cockroaches and termites (Blattodea). Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20182076. [PMID: 30963947 PMCID: PMC6364590 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.2076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 01/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Phylogenetic relationships among subgroups of cockroaches and termites are still matters of debate. Their divergence times and major phenotypic transitions during evolution are also not yet settled. We addressed these points by combining the first nuclear phylogenomic study of termites and cockroaches with a thorough approach to divergence time analysis, identification of endosymbionts, and reconstruction of ancestral morphological traits and behaviour. Analyses of the phylogenetic relationships within Blattodea robustly confirm previously uncertain hypotheses such as the sister-group relationship between Blaberoidea and remaining Blattodea, and Lamproblatta being the closest relative to the social and wood-feeding Cryptocercus and termites. Consequently, we propose new names for various clades in Blattodea: Cryptocercus + termites = Tutricablattae; Lamproblattidae + Tutricablattae = Kittrickea; and Blattoidea + Corydioidea = Solumblattodea. Our inferred divergence times contradict previous studies by showing that most subgroups of Blattodea evolved in the Cretaceous, reducing the gap between molecular estimates of divergence times and the fossil record. On a phenotypic level, the blattodean ground-plan is for egg packages to be laid directly in a hole while other forms of oviposition, including ovovivipary and vivipary, arose later. Finally, other changes in egg care strategy may have allowed for the adaptation of nest building and other novelties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominic A. Evangelista
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, 57 rue Cuvier, CP50, 75005 Paris, France
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Tennessee, Dabney Hall, 1416 Circle Dr., Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Benjamin Wipfler
- Institut für Spezielle Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie mit Phyletischem Museum, Friedrich-Schiller Universität Jena, Vor dem Neutor 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Center for Taxonomy and Evolutionary Research, Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig (ZFMK), Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany
| | - Olivier Béthoux
- CR2P (Centre de Recherche en Paléontologie – Paris), MNHN – CNRS – Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, MNHN, CNRS, Paris, France
- Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, 57 rue Cuvier, CP38, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Alexander Donath
- Center for Molecular Biodiversity Research (ZMB), Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig (ZFMK), Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany
| | - Mari Fujita
- Sugadaira Research Station, Mountain Science Center, University of Tsukuba, 1278-294 Sugadaira Kogen, Ueda, Nagano 386-2204, Japan
| | - Manpreet K. Kohli
- Federated Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and NJIT, 195 University Ave, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | - Frédéric Legendre
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, 57 rue Cuvier, CP50, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Shanlin Liu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, People's Republic of China
| | - Ryuichiro Machida
- Sugadaira Research Station, Mountain Science Center, University of Tsukuba, 1278-294 Sugadaira Kogen, Ueda, Nagano 386-2204, Japan
| | - Bernhard Misof
- Center for Molecular Biodiversity Research (ZMB), Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig (ZFMK), Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany
| | - Ralph S. Peters
- Center for Taxonomy and Evolutionary Research, Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig (ZFMK), Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany
| | - Lars Podsiadlowski
- Center for Molecular Biodiversity Research (ZMB), Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig (ZFMK), Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany
| | - Jes Rust
- Steinmann-Institute, Institute for Paleontology, University of Bonn, Nussallee 8, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Kai Schuette
- Animal Ecology and Conservation, Zoological Institute, University of Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ward Tollenaar
- Biosystematics Group, Wageningen University and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jessica L. Ware
- Federated Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and NJIT, 195 University Ave, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | - Torsten Wappler
- Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt, Friedensplatz 1, 64283 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Xin Zhou
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Karen Meusemann
- Center for Molecular Biodiversity Research (ZMB), Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig (ZFMK), Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany
- Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO National Research Collections Australia (NRCA), Acton, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute for Biology I, University of Freiburg, Hauptstr. 1, 79104 Freiburg (Brsg.), Germany
| | - Sabrina Simon
- Biosystematics Group, Wageningen University and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Nalepa CA. What Kills the Hindgut Flagellates of Lower Termites during the Host Molting Cycle? Microorganisms 2017; 5:E82. [PMID: 29258251 PMCID: PMC5748591 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms5040082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2017] [Revised: 12/07/2017] [Accepted: 12/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Subsocial wood feeding cockroaches in the genus Cryptocercus, the sister group of termites, retain their symbiotic gut flagellates during the host molting cycle, but in lower termites, closely related flagellates die prior to host ecdysis. Although the prevalent view is that termite flagellates die because of conditions of starvation and desiccation in the gut during the host molting cycle, the work of L.R. Cleveland in the 1930s through the 1960s provides a strong alternate hypothesis: it was the changed hormonal environment associated with the origin of eusociality and its concomitant shift in termite developmental ontogeny that instigates the death of the flagellates in termites. Although the research on termite gut microbial communities has exploded since the advent of modern molecular techniques, the role of the host hormonal environment on the life cycle of its gut flagellates has been neglected. Here Cleveland's studies are revisited to provide a basis for re-examination of the problem, and the results framed in the context of two alternate hypotheses: the flagellate symbionts are victims of the change in host social status, or the flagellates have become incorporated into the life cycle of the eusocial termite colony. Recent work on parasitic protists suggests clear paths for exploring these hypotheses and for resolving long standing issues regarding sexual-encystment cycles in flagellates of the Cryptocercus-termite lineage using molecular methodologies, bringing the problem into the modern era.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christine A Nalepa
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7613, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Peeters C, Molet M, Lin CC, Billen J. Evolution of cheaper workers in ants: a comparative study of exoskeleton thickness. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blx011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
|
24
|
Velenovsky JF, Kalisch J, Bulmer MS. Selective sweeps in Cryptocercus woodroach antifungal proteins. Genetica 2016; 144:547-552. [DOI: 10.1007/s10709-016-9923-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
|
25
|
Bourguignon T, Chisholm RA, Evans TA. The Termite Worker Phenotype Evolved as a Dispersal Strategy for Fertile Wingless Individuals before Eusociality. Am Nat 2016; 187:372-87. [PMID: 26913949 DOI: 10.1086/684838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Termites are eusocial insects that evolved from solitary cockroaches. It is not known precisely what factors drove the evolution of termite eusociality, that is, skewed reproduction with distinct winged reproductive and wingless worker phenotypes. In other eusocial insects (bees and wasps), reproductive skew evolved first and phenotype differences evolved second. We propose that the reverse pattern occurred in termites, that is, that the winged-wingless diphenism evolved before eusociality. We discuss existing phylogenetic and pheromonal evidence supporting our hypothesis. We provide new experimental evidence from the most basal termite species (Mastotermes darwiniensis), suggesting that the ancestral state was indeed diphenic but presocial. We propose that the mechanism promoting a winged-wingless diphenism-in the absence of eusociality-was greater predation of aerial than terrestrial dispersers, and we support this with a game theoretic model. We augment our hypothesis with a novel explanation for the evolution of the developmental pathways leading to winged and wingless phenotypes in termites. An added benefit of our hypothesis is that it neatly explains the origin of termite eusociality itself: in the pre-eusocial ancestral species, the poor dispersal ability of the wingless phenotype would have led to clustering of relatives around shared resources-a prerequisite for nonparental care of close relatives.
Collapse
|
26
|
The Role of Symbionts in the Evolution of Termites and Their Rise to Ecological Dominance in the Tropics. ADVANCES IN ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-28068-4_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
|
27
|
O'Donnell S, Bulova SJ, DeLeon S, Khodak P, Miller S, Sulger E. Distributed cognition and social brains: reductions in mushroom body investment accompanied the origins of sociality in wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Proc Biol Sci 2015; 282:20150791. [PMID: 26085587 PMCID: PMC4590486 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.0791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2015] [Accepted: 05/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The social brain hypothesis assumes the evolution of social behaviour changes animals' ecological environments, and predicts evolutionary shifts in social structure will be associated with changes in brain investment. Most social brain models to date assume social behaviour imposes additional cognitive challenges to animals, favouring the evolution of increased brain investment. Here, we present a modification of social brain models, which we term the distributed cognition hypothesis. Distributed cognition models assume group members can rely on social communication instead of individual cognition; these models predict reduced brain investment in social species. To test this hypothesis, we compared brain investment among 29 species of wasps (Vespidae family), including solitary species and social species with a wide range of social attributes (i.e. differences in colony size, mode of colony founding and degree of queen/worker caste differentiation). We compared species means of relative size of mushroom body (MB) calyces and the antennal to optic lobe ratio, as measures of brain investment in central processing and peripheral sensory processing, respectively. In support of distributed cognition predictions, and in contrast to patterns seen among vertebrates, MB investment decreased from solitary to social species. Among social species, differences in colony founding, colony size and caste differentiation were not associated with brain investment differences. Peripheral lobe investment did not covary with social structure. These patterns suggest the strongest changes in brain investment--a reduction in central processing brain regions--accompanied the evolutionary origins of eusociality in Vespidae.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sean O'Donnell
- Department of Biodiversity Earth and Environmental Science, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Susan J Bulova
- Department of Biodiversity Earth and Environmental Science, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sara DeLeon
- Department of Biodiversity Earth and Environmental Science, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA Institute for Phytopathology and Applied Zoology, Justus-Liebig University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Paulina Khodak
- Department of Biodiversity Earth and Environmental Science, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Skye Miller
- Department of Biodiversity Earth and Environmental Science, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Elisabeth Sulger
- Department of Biodiversity Earth and Environmental Science, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Density-body mass relationships: Inconsistent intercontinental patterns among termite feeding-groups. ACTA OECOLOGICA 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2015.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
|
29
|
First comparison of quantitative estimates of termite biomass and abundance reveals strong intercontinental differences. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2014. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467413000898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:Termite species and functional groups differ among regions globally (the functional-diversity anomaly). Here we investigate whether similar differences in biomass and abundance of termites occur among continents. Biomass and abundance data were collected with standardized sampling in Cameroon, Malaysia and Peru. Data from Peru were original to this study, while data from Cameroon and Malaysia were compiled from other sources. Species density data were sampled using a standardized belt transect (100 × 2 m) while the biomass and abundance measurements were sampled using a standardized protocol based on 2 × 2-m quadrats. Biomass and abundance data confirmed patterns found for species density and thus the existence of the functional diversity anomaly: highest estimates for biomass and abundance were found in Cameroon (14.5 ± 7.90 g m−2 and 1234 ± 437 ind m−2) followed by Malaysia (0.719 ± 0.193 g m−2 and 327 ± 72 ind m−2) and then Peru (0.345 ± 0.103 g m−2 and 130 ± 39 ind m−2). The biomass and abundance for each functional group were significantly different across sites for most termite functional groups. Biogeographical distribution of lineages was the primary cause for the functional diversity anomaly with true soil-feeding termites dominating in Cameroon and the absence of fungus-growing termites from Peru. These findings are important as the biomass and abundance of functional groups may be linked to ecosystem processes. Although this study allowed for comparisons between data from different regions further comparable data are needed to enhance the understanding of the role of termites in ecosystem processes on a global scale.
Collapse
|