A Sprinkle of Earth
cf. Nasutitermes sp. - Arboreal Termite (Dudley, 1890)
Andy Lost it
Description: The first and second pictures are of the same termite individual, while the third and fourth pictures depict a termite I already found dead and I believe it is, at the very least, in the same genus. It is beyond my abilities to confirm that they are Nasutitermes sp., as a few other genera such as Cryptotermes are also distributed here and are close-looking. Even then, I'm more inclined towards the genus Nasutitermes and the present article is directed to them, regardless of the true identity. It measured approximately 1cm in length.
Nasutitermes are a genus of termites that were previously included in the order Isoptera, now in the order Blattodea, superfamily Blattoidea (?), unranked subdivision Termitoidae (epifamily?) / Isoptera (?), family Termitidae and subfamily Nasutitermitinae.
They make their nests on trees. The nests are ground-colored and very large. Some Nasutitermes construct their galleries and tunnels until the ground. The nests of some (perhaps all?) Nasutitermes and the termites themselves possess many extraspecific interactions; some ants are known to cohabit with the Nasutitermes, Lophostoma silvicolum (a species of bat) have been known to roost in the nest, some ants use the abandoned nests as nests for themselves while others prey on the termites, several birds form nests in the Nasutitermes' nests, etc. Overall, ants and termites avoid each other and are seldomly aggressive. Hydrocarbon contents on their cuticles are believed to have changed to allow them to live relatively peacefully together. The ants leave debris with nitrogen in the nest, benefiting the termites in an environments where this nutrient is scarce. Ants are also known to protect their nests from predators, another benefit to the Nasutitermes and other termites. In trade, the ants are benefited by an ideal location to raise their broods, where the climate is ideal and where they can easily defend themselves from predatorial attacks. The interactions between some ants and Nasutitermes do not end there as some Nasutitermes are known to produce anti-fungal substances that benefit ants. The Lophostoma silvicolum male bats excavates to roost, which allows for reproductive success as a harem of females will join them in the roost. The nest's climate is also an ideal situation to raise the offspring of Lophostoma silvicolum. The nest is also a protective structure that shields the bats from their predators. Nasutitermes corniger are known to repair damage made to their nest by the bats, making the bats work constantly to maintain the roost. Mysteriously, the Nasutitermes which interacts with these bats do not attack them.
The nests look as bumps on the wood. They may have multiple queens and kings, but older colonies tend to have several queens and a single king, and even older colonies may have a single king and a single queen. The queen and the king lives in a chamber in the centre of the nest which is often near the wood structure. The termites will reinforce the walls of the nest if it is attacked by predators. The reproductive Nasutitermes are winged. I could count a total of 21 antennal segments (only 15 are shown on this picture), but this may include an unknown margin of error. The bodies are brownish-yellow. They are eusocial: this means that they develop large, multigenerational cooperative societies that assist each other, even when this costs the individual's life or reproductiveness. Hamilton's rule (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kin_selection) explains this phenomentom, in which the species benefit by giving up their reproductive abilities to improve the overall fitness of closely related offspring. Nasutitermes possess winged fertile individuals, workers and soldiers.
Some Nasutitermes, such as N. corniger can be aggressive to rival conspecific colonies.
Reproduction is done through winged individuals, with a number of 5,000 to 25,000 winged termites possibly being produced. They undergo five instars and spend between 5 and 8 months in the colony before flocking up to mate.
Some bacteria are enriched by the wood particles in the Nasutitermes' gut.
Given their arboreal nature, they live in primary and secondary forests, woods, fields, urban and suburban habitats, among others. Both individuals were found on the 16th floor of a flat in an urban habitat.
The defense of soldiers of Nasutitermes against ants is done through the squirting of a secretion from the pointy proboscis through a cephalic gland that occupies almost the entire head capsule. The liquid is strong-smelling and possesses volatile chemical compounds.
Sources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasutitermes_corniger
pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasutitermes
www.uenf.br/Uenf/Downloads/PRODVEGETAL_3434_1223924180.pdf
www.cupim.net.br/cupm-arboricolas.htm
PROJECT NOAH (Português): www.projectnoah.org/spottings/1949890306
cf. Nasutitermes sp. - Arboreal Termite (Dudley, 1890)
Andy Lost it
Description: The first and second pictures are of the same termite individual, while the third and fourth pictures depict a termite I already found dead and I believe it is, at the very least, in the same genus. It is beyond my abilities to confirm that they are Nasutitermes sp., as a few other genera such as Cryptotermes are also distributed here and are close-looking. Even then, I'm more inclined towards the genus Nasutitermes and the present article is directed to them, regardless of the true identity. It measured approximately 1cm in length.
Nasutitermes are a genus of termites that were previously included in the order Isoptera, now in the order Blattodea, superfamily Blattoidea (?), unranked subdivision Termitoidae (epifamily?) / Isoptera (?), family Termitidae and subfamily Nasutitermitinae.
They make their nests on trees. The nests are ground-colored and very large. Some Nasutitermes construct their galleries and tunnels until the ground. The nests of some (perhaps all?) Nasutitermes and the termites themselves possess many extraspecific interactions; some ants are known to cohabit with the Nasutitermes, Lophostoma silvicolum (a species of bat) have been known to roost in the nest, some ants use the abandoned nests as nests for themselves while others prey on the termites, several birds form nests in the Nasutitermes' nests, etc. Overall, ants and termites avoid each other and are seldomly aggressive. Hydrocarbon contents on their cuticles are believed to have changed to allow them to live relatively peacefully together. The ants leave debris with nitrogen in the nest, benefiting the termites in an environments where this nutrient is scarce. Ants are also known to protect their nests from predators, another benefit to the Nasutitermes and other termites. In trade, the ants are benefited by an ideal location to raise their broods, where the climate is ideal and where they can easily defend themselves from predatorial attacks. The interactions between some ants and Nasutitermes do not end there as some Nasutitermes are known to produce anti-fungal substances that benefit ants. The Lophostoma silvicolum male bats excavates to roost, which allows for reproductive success as a harem of females will join them in the roost. The nest's climate is also an ideal situation to raise the offspring of Lophostoma silvicolum. The nest is also a protective structure that shields the bats from their predators. Nasutitermes corniger are known to repair damage made to their nest by the bats, making the bats work constantly to maintain the roost. Mysteriously, the Nasutitermes which interacts with these bats do not attack them.
The nests look as bumps on the wood. They may have multiple queens and kings, but older colonies tend to have several queens and a single king, and even older colonies may have a single king and a single queen. The queen and the king lives in a chamber in the centre of the nest which is often near the wood structure. The termites will reinforce the walls of the nest if it is attacked by predators. The reproductive Nasutitermes are winged. I could count a total of 21 antennal segments (only 15 are shown on this picture), but this may include an unknown margin of error. The bodies are brownish-yellow. They are eusocial: this means that they develop large, multigenerational cooperative societies that assist each other, even when this costs the individual's life or reproductiveness. Hamilton's rule (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kin_selection) explains this phenomentom, in which the species benefit by giving up their reproductive abilities to improve the overall fitness of closely related offspring. Nasutitermes possess winged fertile individuals, workers and soldiers.
Some Nasutitermes, such as N. corniger can be aggressive to rival conspecific colonies.
Reproduction is done through winged individuals, with a number of 5,000 to 25,000 winged termites possibly being produced. They undergo five instars and spend between 5 and 8 months in the colony before flocking up to mate.
Some bacteria are enriched by the wood particles in the Nasutitermes' gut.
Given their arboreal nature, they live in primary and secondary forests, woods, fields, urban and suburban habitats, among others. Both individuals were found on the 16th floor of a flat in an urban habitat.
The defense of soldiers of Nasutitermes against ants is done through the squirting of a secretion from the pointy proboscis through a cephalic gland that occupies almost the entire head capsule. The liquid is strong-smelling and possesses volatile chemical compounds.
Sources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasutitermes_corniger
pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasutitermes
www.uenf.br/Uenf/Downloads/PRODVEGETAL_3434_1223924180.pdf
www.cupim.net.br/cupm-arboricolas.htm
PROJECT NOAH (Português): www.projectnoah.org/spottings/1949890306