Mutual Use of Trail-Following Chemical Cues by a Termite Host and Its Inquiline

0427649 - ÚOCHB 2015 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Cristaldo, Paulo Fellipe - DeSouza, O. - Krasulová, Jana - Jirošová, Anna - Kutalová, Kateřina - Lima, E. R. - Šobotník, Jan - Sillam-Dusses, D.
Mutual Use of Trail-Following Chemical Cues by a Termite Host and Its Inquiline.
PLoS ONE. Roč. 9, č. 1 (2014), e85315/1-e85315/9. ISSN 1932-6203. E-ISSN 1932-6203
Institutional support: RVO:61388963
Keywords : inquilinism * trail-following behaviour * termite association * Termitidae * chemical ecology
Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry
Impact factor: 3.234, year: 2014
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0085315

Termite nests are often secondarily inhabited by other termite species (= inquilines) that cohabit with the host. To understand this association, we studied the trail-following behaviour in two Neotropical species, Constrictotermes cyphergaster (Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae) and its obligatory inquiline, Inquilinitermes microcerus (Termitidae: Termitinae). Using behavioural experiments and chemical analyses, we determined that the trail-following pheromone of C. cyphergaster is made of neocembrene and (3Z, 6Z, 8E)-dodeca-3,6,8-trien-1-ol. Although no specific compound was identified in I. microcerus, workers were able to follow the above compounds in behavioural bioassays. Interestingly, in choice tests, C. cyphergaster prefers conspecific over heterospecific trails while I. microcerus shows the converse behaviour. In no-choice tests with whole body extracts, C. cyphergaster showed no preference for, while I. microcerus clearly avoided heterospecific trails. This seems to agree with the hypothesis that trail-following pheromones may shape the cohabitation of C. cyphergaster and I. microcerus and reinforce the idea that their cohabitation is based on conflict-avoiding strategies.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0233169