Replacement queens in the neotropical termiteNasutitermes coxipoensis

The production of replacement queens in experimentally orphaned colonies was investigated in the neotropical termiteNasutitermes coxipoensis holmgren. A single adultoid replacement queen was produced with six weeks in more than 50% of the nests. The new queen begins oviposition extremely quickly. Replacement kings are seldom seen but must be present since brood in the nest in atribuable to the replacement queen. InN. coxipoensis, replacement adultoid queens and kings seem to develop preferentially from the few aged nymphs which are present in the nest throughout the year.