Not Only Soldiers Have Weapons: Evolution of the Frontal Gland in Imagoes of the Termite Families Rhinotermitidae and Serritermitidae

0353194 - ÚOCHB 2011 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Šobotník, Jan - Bourguignon, T. - Hanus, Robert - Sillam-Dusses, David - Pflegerová, Jitka - Weyda, František - Kutalová, Kateřina - Vytisková, B. - Roisin, Y.
Not Only Soldiers Have Weapons: Evolution of the Frontal Gland in Imagoes of the Termite Families Rhinotermitidae and Serritermitidae.
PLoS ONE. Roč. 5, č. 12 (2010), e15761/1-e15761/7. ISSN 1932-6203. E-ISSN 1932-6203
R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP506/10/1570
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506; CEZ:AV0Z50070508
Keywords : termites * imagoes * soldiers * Rhinotermitidae * Serritermitidae * frontal gland
Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry
Impact factor: 4.411, year: 2010
www.plosone.org

We report on the development of the frontal gland in alate imagoes of 10 genera and 13 species of Rhinotermitidae and Serritermitidae, in order to shed light on the evolution and function of this gland in imagoes. Our direct observations and comparisons with soldiers suggest a defensive role of the gland in imagoes of all studied species. This functional analogy, along with the anatomic homology between the frontal gland in soldiers and imagoes, make it likely that the gland appeared once during the early evolution of rhinotermitid ancestors, and remained as a defensive organ of prime importance in both, soldiers and imagoes.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0192508