Growth patterns of incipient colonies of Coptotermes havilandi (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae) initiated in the laboratory from swarming alates

Fifty two colonies of Coptotermes havilandi were set up under laboratory conditions using alates collected from an urban area during a period of swarming. The first artificial nest used for each royal couple was a 6cm diameter Petri dish (22ml) filled with a moistened matrix of decayed pine sawdust. After 6 months, these colonies were transferred to 250ml plastic containers with the same culturing matrix. After 24 months a census of all colonies was performed. Each young colony had a live royal pair and the population size of all colonies indicated a nonlinear development. The total population (workers + soldiers + immatures + reproductives) of these incipient colonies ranged from 64 to 1, 164, with a mean of 345 individuals. The number of workers ranged from 53 to 830 individuals, and the number of soldiers ranged from 6 to 83. The present data showed a higher population of incipient colonies than our previous record for the species. We also compared the development of 12 transferred colonies to that of 12 untransferred incipient colonies. The results showed a higher population in transferred colonies, but in both incipient colonies (transferred and untransferred) there was a wide variation in total population. The correlation between queen weight and population size was positive in all 24 colonies.

Behavioral Repertoire of Basal Fungus-Growing Ant Sexuals (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Parental Nest

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Mandibular glands in reproductives of asian termite coptotermes gestroi (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Preliminary Fusion Testing Between Whole Young Colonies of Coptotermes gestroi (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Predicting the occurrence of alate aphids in Brassicaceae

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

LIMITED MULTIPLE-MATING IN MALES AND SINGLE-MATING IN FEMALES OF THE ANT SPECIES, PARATRECHINA-FLAVIPES (FR SMITH) (HYMENOPTERA, FORMICIDAE)

This study determined how many times alates of Paratrechina flavipes (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) can copulate in the field and laboratory. In the field, females preferred to mate once and the mating number of males is unknown. In the laboratory, females mated singly but males could inseminate two or three females. The duration of succeeding copulations was greater than the first copulation. Multiple mating males died sooner than single mating ones. The results suggest that male death is promoted by sperm consumption.

Winged leaf-cutting ants on nuptial flights used as transport by Attacobius spiders for dispersal

1. Sexuals of a leaf-cutting ant, Atta bisphaerica Forel, left their nest for nuptial flights in October to December.2. When leaving a nest, 53 of the 479 winged sexuals (or alates) observed (11.1%) carried up to three inquiline spiders of Attacobius luederwaldti.3. Spiders exclusively selected winged sexuals, not workers, and preferred females, indicating their expectation of the stronger flight ability of females. Neither these sexuals nor workers that appeared out of the nest on flight days attempted to remove or attack spiders on the body of alates.4. New qucens landing from their nuptial flight did not carry spiders, indicating that the spiders had left the ants in the sky to be dispersed by wind.5. No spiders were found in more than 100 incipient nests, which were estimated to be 2-3 months old. This suggests that the spiders jumped off the alate during mid-flight and dispersed on the wind to inhabit larger nests.

Morphology of the nymphoid replacement reproductives in the neotropical termite Armitermes euamignathus (Isoptera, Termitidae, Nasutitermitinae)

Numerous nymphoid reproductives were found in three field nests of Armitermes euamignathus collected in Brazil. We report here a morphological description and a biometric study of these individuals. Nymphoid replacements displayed narrow wing buds when compared with those present in nymphs from the three last instars. Thorax morphology of the nymphoids was similar to the penultimate nymphal instar (N4) or to the ultimate nymphal instar (N5), and their origin from these instars of nymphs is discussed. All the nymphoids had eyes, ocelli, and 15 antennal segments. The nymphoid females from nest 1 had different grades of physogastry and royal fat body. The nymphoid females from nests 2 and 3, the nymphoid males from all nests, and the primary king from nests 2 acid 3 had a common fat body, which is similar to that present in alates. The ovaries and the testes of nymphoids were fully mature and the corpora allata larger than those in imagoes. The mandibular glands were also enlarged in nymphoids but the tergal glands were absent. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Multiple nymphoid reproductives in the nests of the neotropical termite, Armitermes euamignathus (Isoptera, Termitidae, Nasutitermitinae)

Armitermes euamignathus Silvestri (Termitidae, Nasutitermitinae) is a mound building termite that is common in Brazilian regions of the Cerrado vegetation. Multiple neotenic reproductives were found in three isolated nests of these species localized in other secondary habitats different from Cerrado vegetation. The number of second form queens was always higher than the number of secondary males. In two of these nests, the primary king was present along with the second form reproductives. Eggs and brood were found in the three nests but mature alates were present in only one. Multiple neotenic reproductives were never found in the studied Cerrado region where the nests contained only the primary pair. A study of oviposition rate between primary queens and nymphoid reproductives showed an increased number of eggs in the colony headed by neotenic reproductives.

Review and update on the biology of coptotermes havilandi (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae)

The introduction of Coptotermes havilandi in Brazil and some aspects of its biology are reviewed. We also describe an aerial principal nest collected from the 15th floor of a high-rise building and its subsidiary nest collected from the 14th floor of the same building. The population of the principal nest consisted of one imaginal physogastric queen, one imaginal king, 20 nymphoid neotenics (14 females and 6 males), 188 nymphs, many workers, presoldiers, soldiers and larvae. The population of the subsidiary nest consisted of 32 nymphoid neotenics (all females), alates, 2 preneotenics, some larvae and nymphs, many workers, presoldiers and soldiers. These neotenics were larger than those found in the principal nest. No eggs were found in either nest. A morphometric analysis of the nymphs and nymphoids was carried out and the morphology of the neotenics and of the imaginai reproductives is described.

Note about the first swarming in a laboratory colony of Coptotermes gestroi (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

A laboratory rearing of Coptotermes gestroi which swarmed from the reared colony is described.

The caste system of Coptotermes gestroi (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

Coptotermes gestroi is an oriental species introduced to Brazil and considered, in the São Paulo State area, one of the most economically important pests. Although there are a few works concerning the basic biology of this species, its post-embryonic development has been poorly studied. The aim of the present research was to study the post-embryonic development of C. gestroi for a better knowledge of the caste system in this termite. The post-embryonic development of C. gestroi starts with two larval instars of whitish appearance and different sizes. A separation of the neutral and imaginal developmental pathways occurs following the second larval instar. The second-instar larva originates alates after six molts. The worker caste presents five instars and also develops from the second larval instar. Soldiers develop from younger workers in laboratory colonies and from older workers in field colonies.

Taxonomia e características metabólicas de leveduras isoladas de bitus de Atta sexdens rubropilosa

Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Microbiologia Aplicada) - IBRC

O papel dos microfungos associados aos jardins das formigas Attini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Yeasts found on an ephemeral reproductive caste of the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens rubropilosa

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