Explosive Backpacks in Old Termite Workers

0380212 - ÚOCHB 2013 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Šobotník, Jan - Bourguignon, T. - Hanus, Robert - Demianova, Zuzana - Pytelková, Jana - Mareš, Michael - Foltynová, P. - Preisler, J. - Cvačka, Josef - Krasulová, Jana - Roisin, Y.
Explosive Backpacks in Old Termite Workers.
Science. Roč. 337, č. 6093 (2012), s. 436-436. ISSN 0036-8075. E-ISSN 1095-9203
R&D Projects: GA ČR GP525/09/P600
Grant - others:CEITEC(CZ) CZ.1.05/1.1.00/02.0068; GA ČR(CZ) GAP206/12/0538
Institutional support: RVO:61388963
Keywords : Neocapritermes taracua * chemical defense * termites * worker defense * suicidal defense
Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry
Impact factor: 31.027, year: 2012

By nature, defensive behavior is risky. In social insects, it often becomes suicidal. Risky behavior should be expressed by individuals whose potential for other tasks is diminished, e.g. by old age. Here, we show that workers of the termite Neocapritermes taracua develop an exceptional two-component suicidal apparatus, consisting of copper-containing protein crystals, stored in an external pouch, and internal salivary glands. During fight, their body ruptures and the crystals react with the gland secretion to produce a toxic droplet. Both the amount of defensive substances and the readiness to explode increase with workers' age, as their food-collecting ability declines.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0210981