Journal Article10.1007/BF01951642
Ontogenetic development and evolution of the worker caste in termites
C. Noirot,Jacques Pasteels +1 more
187
TL;DR: The definition of the worker caste and the current theories explaining its evolution are reexamined after a critical reappraisal of data on post-embryonic development and on the basis of ontogenic, morphologic and functional criteria, termite workers are defined.
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Abstract: The hemimetabolous termites have a very different caste system from social Hymenoptera in which only true imagoes participate in all social tasks. In termites, the imagoes are restricted to reproduction. The termite solidiers have no equivalent in other social insects. They are unique both in their post-embryonic development and their exclusively defensive function. At maturity they keep their molting gland and therefore should be considered as stabilized, differentiated immatures. They appeared monophyletically, early in the evolution of termites.
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Citations
Temporal polyethism in incipient colonies of the primitive termite Zootermopsis angusticollis: a single multiage caste
TL;DR: Small colony size, low oviposition rate, simple nest architecture, a lack of spatial association of tasks, and the potential for attaining reproductive status appear to be associated with the lack of age-related behavioral specialization in Z. angusticollis, which is likely a consequence of its nesting habits and physiological and developmental constraints.
70
Morphogenesis and gene expression in the soldier-caste differentiation of termites
TL;DR: Research approaches for analyzing caste differentiation in termites are summarized, and two of the authors' studies in Hospitalitermes medioflavus (Termitidae) and Hodotermopsis japonica (Termopsidae) are introduced.
70
The soldiers in societies: defense, regulation, and evolution.
Li Tian,Xuguo Zhou +1 more
TL;DR: The current state of knowledge on biology, morphology, adaptive functions, and caste regulation of the soldier caste is summarized and the biological, ecological and genetic factors that might contribute to the evolution of distinct caste systems within eusocial lineages are discussed.
Morphology, development and evolutionary significance of the working stages in the caste system of Prorhinotermes (Insecta, Isoptera)*
TL;DR: The caste system of Prorhinotermes is analogous to that of the Kalotermitidae and Termopsidae and much more primitive than those of the other Rhinotermitaceae so far studied, Reticulitermes, Schedorhinoterme and Coptotermes.
64
Juvenile Hormone: A Central Regulator of Termite Caste Polyphenism
TL;DR: The current understanding of the interactions between socio-environmental triggers, JH and linked gene pathways that underlie termite castes and division of labour are summarized and a synthetic model is presented that may serve as a guideline to future termite research.
62
References
Caste and Ecology in the Social Insects
TL;DR: In this pathbreaking and far-reaching work George Oster and Edward Wilson provide the first fully developed theory of caste evolution among the social insects and construct a series of mathematical models to characterize the agents of natural selection that promote particular caste systems.
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Caste and ecology in the social insects
George Oster,Edward O. Wilson +1 more
- 01 Jan 1978
TL;DR: Oster and Wilson as discussed by the authors provided the first fully developed theory of caste evolution among the social insects and studied the effects of natural selection in generally increasing the insects' ergonomic efficiency.
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Enemy deterrence in the recruitment strategy of a termite: Soldier-organized foraging in Nasutitermes costalis
TL;DR: The nasute soldiers of the neotropical termite Nasutitermes costalis function as scouts by exploring new terrain for food in advance of the worker caste and regulate foraging activity by laying trails composed of sternal gland pheromone.
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