Developmental Pathways of Psammotermes hybostoma (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae): Old Pseudergates Make up a New Sterile Caste

0381324 - ÚOCHB 2013 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Bourguignon, T. - Šobotník, Jan - Sillam-Dusses, David - Jiroš, Pavel - Hanus, Robert - Roisin, Y. - Miura, T.
Developmental Pathways of Psammotermes hybostoma (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae): Old Pseudergates Make up a New Sterile Caste.
PLoS ONE. Roč. 7, č. 9 (2012), e44527/1-e44527/9. ISSN 1932-6203. E-ISSN 1932-6203
R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP506/10/1570
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506
Keywords : termite * ontogeny * pseudergate * true worker * polymorphism * evolution
Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry
Impact factor: 3.730, year: 2012

We report on the ontogenetic potentialities of the highly polymorphic sand termite Psammotermes hybostoma. Beside numerous pluripotent pseudergates, constituting the main work force, some larger non-feeding apterous immatures, also occur. These individuals are unable to proceed to the winged imago stage, but store large amounts of fat and also give rise to large soldiers. Soldiers therefore originate from a wide range of apterous instars, consequently being highly polymorphic. The caste system of P. hybostoma is essentially linear, but is distinguished from others by the late bifurcation leading to large apterous immatures. Because these large worker-like individuals do not perform worker tasks, they cannot be considered homologous to the true workers of Termitidae and advanced Rhinotermitidae, but they provide a novel example of the evolution of sterile immatures in termites.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0211823