0394661 - ÚOCHB 2014 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Kutalová, Kateřina - Bourguignon, T. - Sillam-Dusses, D. - Hanus, Robert - Roisin, Y. - Šobotník, Jan
Armed reproductives: Evolution of the frontal gland in imagoes of Termitidae.
Arthropod Structure & Development. Roč. 42, č. 4 (2013), s. 339-348. ISSN 1467-8039. E-ISSN 1873-5495
R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP506/10/1570
Institutional support: RVO:61388963
Keywords : alate * defence * Isoptera * morphological evolution
Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry
Impact factor: 1.826, year: 2013

The frontal gland of termites is a structure without any equivalent among other animals. Although this gland is well known in soldiers, it received almost no attention in other castes. To fill this gap, we made a exhausting study of the gland in the most advanced termite family, Termitidae. The frontal gland is formed by class 1 secretory cells only, and occurs in two basic shapes: epithelial with reservoir in Foraminitermitinae and Macrotermitinae, and epithelial without reservoir in all other subfamilies. Our data suggest that the ancestral form of the frontal gland is epithelial with reservoir, as found in Rhinotermitidae, Serritermitidae, and basal Termitidae. The reduction of reservoir occurred at least two times and the gland was lost two times independently: in Protermes sp. and in Microtermes toumodiensis (both Macrotermitinae).
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0223091