Search results for "TERMITES"
showing 10 items of 13 documents
Species specificity of trail pheromones of fungus-growing termites from northern Vietnam
2001
Trail-following pheromones were studied in four fungus-growing termites from northern Vietnam: Macrotermes annandalei, M. barneyi, Odontotermes hainanensis and O. maesodensis. From bioassays, we suggest that trail pheromones of these species are composed of a common or anony-mous signal, as well as species-specific signals. The anonymous signal has been identified by GC-MS as (Z)-dodec-3-en-1-ol for each species from extracts of sternal glands and from solid phase microextraction of the surface of their sternal gland. This compound is secreted in much higher quantities (up to 1.4 ng/worker) than dodecatrienol, another anonymous signal of trail-following in termites. (Z)-dodec-3-en-1-ol is a…
INHIBITION OF THE FUNGAL PATHOGEN METARHIZIUM ANISOPLIAE IN THE ALIMENTARY TRACTS OF FIVE TERMITE (ISOPTERA) SPECIES
2010
We previously showed that in the subterranean termite Reticulitermes flavipes conidia of Metarhizium anisopliae did not germinate in the alimentary tract of living termites and the antifungal activity remained for 2 d post mortem in the gut. We have confirmed that this mechanism is common throughout the termite phylogeny by extending our observations to 5 additional species, from 5 different families. Grooming and ingestion of microorganisms from the cuticle ofnestmate was found to be consistent in all the species and none of the conidia found in the alimentary tracts germinated.
The phylogeny of termites (Dictyoptera : Isoptera) based on mitochondrial and nuclear markers : implications for the evolution of the worker and pseu…
2008
A phylogenetic hypothesis of termite relationships was inferred from DNA sequence data. Seven gene fragments (12S rDNA, 16S rDNA, 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, cytochrome oxidase I, cytochrome oxidase II and cytochrome b) were sequenced for 40 termite exemplars, representing all termite families and 14 outgroups. Termites were found to be monophyletic with Mastotermes darwiniensis (Mastotermitidae) as sister group to the remainder of the termites. In this remainder, the family Kalotermitidae was sister group to other families. The families Kalotermitidae, Hodotermitidae and Termitidae were retrieved as monophyletic whereas the Termopsidae and Rhinotermitidae appeared paraphyletic. All of these result…
(3Z,6Z,8E)-3,6,8-dodecatrien-1-ol : Sex pheromone in a higher fungus-growing termite, Pseudacanthotermes spiniger (Isoptera, Macrotermitinae)
1991
International audience; The female sex pheromone of the fungus-growing termitePseudacanthotermes spiniger (Termitidae, Macrotermitinae) was isolated from sternal glands of alates. The compound inducing attraction and excitation in males was identified as the (3Z,6Z,8E)-3,6,8-dodecatrien-1-ol by GC-MS, microhydrogenation, GC-FTIR, and NMR. This unsaturated alcohol is present in both sexes but in much higher quantities in females than in males (about 10 times). The hypothesis is suggested that this alcohol, which is detected at extremely low concentrations by the workers ofP. spiniger, may be used either as a trail-following pheromone or a sex pheromone according to concentrations and to targ…
The gut microbiota of the wood-feeding termite Reticulitermes lucifugus (Isoptera; Rhinotermitidae)
2016
Termite gut is host to a complex microbial community consisting of prokaryotes, and in some cases flagellates, responsible for the degradation of lignocellulosic material. Here we report data concerning the analysis of the gut microbiota of Reticulitermes lucifugus (Rossi), a lower termite species that lives in underground environments and is widespread in Italy, where it causes damage to wood structures of historical and artistic monuments. A 16S rRNA gene clone library revealed that the R. lucifugus gut is colonized by members of five phyla in the domain Bacteria: Firmicutes (49 % of clones), Proteobacteria (24 %), Spirochaetes (14 %), the candidatus TG1 phylum (12 %), and Bacteroidetes (…
Occurrence of rhizobia in the gut of the higher termite Nasutitermes nigriceps
2006
Wood-eating termites feed on a diet highly deficient in nitrogen. They must complement their diet with the aid of nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Nitrogen fixation in the gut has been demonstrated, but information about nitrogen-fixing bacteria in pure culture is scarce. From the higher termite Nasutitermes nigriceps the symbiotic bacterial strain M3A was isolated, which thrives in the hindgut contents. The Gram-negative strain exhibited similarities to the species of the genus Ensifer (including Sinorhizobium) on the basis of morphological and physiological/biochemical features. The 16S rRNA gene analysis showed the highest sequence similarity of the isolate M3A to Ensifer adhaerens (>99%; ATCC …
Characterization of microbial communities in pest colonized books by molecular biology tools
2011
This work presents the identification of bacteria and fungi colonies in insect infesting books, by cultural-independent methodologies based on molecular biology techniques. Microbial genomic DNA extraction,<em> in vitro</em> amplification of specific target sequences by polymerase chain reactions (PCR), sequencing and sequence analysis were performed. These procedures minimized the samples amount, optimized the diagnostic studies on bacteria and fungi colonization and allowed the identification of many species also in complex microbial consortia. The molecular techniques for sure accomplish and integrate the microbiological standard methods (<em>in vitro</em>&nbs…
Studies on Reticulitermes lucifugus Rossi (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae): a review of associated hindgut flagellates and investigations on protist speci…
2017
The present study was conducted on protist species from R. lucifugus “Sicily” subspecies in a field site of Palermo (Sicily, Italy) on June 2015. Since protist species associated with R. lucifugus in Europe are still confused and recent revisions are lacking, this work aims at achieving greater clarity on these symbiosis trough a review of the literature in light of new phylogenetic studies on this termite species. The purpose of this work was also to highlight and quantify protists associated with the Sicilian subspecies, R. l. “Sicily”. Results pointed out the real protist community attributable to R. lucifugus from the literature and showed 13 protist species detected in the subspecies R…
PALAZZO STERI DI PALERMO, SOFFITTO LIGNEO DELLA SALA MAGNA INDAGINE FITOSANITARIA
2012
ABSTRACf - Steri Palace of Palermo; Wooden Ceiling of the "Sala Magna ", Phytosanitary Survey. The Steri Palace (from Hosterium = fortified residence) of Palermo was built in the early fourteenth century, exactly from 1307 to 1320, it was Chiaramonte's family residence. Later, it became the seat of the viceroy of Sicily (from 1412 to 1577), of the Director of the Royal "Magna Curia", and Royal Customs (until 1698), of the Inquisition Tribunal (from 1701 to 1792), of the Judicial offices and Custom offices (from 1800 to 1958). Today it is the Centre of the Chancellor's offices of the University of Palermo. It contains several interesting cultural heritage artefacts, including the beautiful d…
Chemical communication in termites: syn-4,6-Dimethylundecan-1-ol as 3 trail-following pheromone, syn-4,6-dimethylundecanal and 4 (5E)-2,6,10-trimethy…
2011
The trail-following pheromone and sex pheromones were investigated in the Indomalayan termite Hodotermopsis sjoestedti belonging to the new family Archotermopsidae. Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) after solid phase microextraction (SPME) of the sternal gland secretion of pseudergates and trail-following bioassays demonstrated that the trailfollowing pheromone of H. sjoestedti was syn-4,6-dimethylundecan-1-ol, a new chemical structure for termite pheromones. GC-MS after SPME of the sternal gland secretion of alates also allowed the identification of sex-specific compounds. In female alates, the major sex-specific compound was identified as (5E)-2,6,10-trimethylundeca-…