Nestmate recognition in defense against nest invasion by conspecifics during swarming in a one-piece nesting termite. Issue 1 (December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Aguilera-Olivares, Daniel; Rizo, José; Burgos-Lefimil, Camila; Flores-Prado, Luis; Niemeyer, Hermann
• Is Part Of: Revista chilena de historia natural. Volume 89:Issue 1(2016)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 8
• Publication Date: 2016-12
• Subjects: Chemical communication -- Neotermes chilensis -- Kin recognition -- Cuticular compounds -- Aggressive behavior -- Genetic relatedness; Natural history -- Chile -- Periodicals; Natural history -- Periodicals; 508.83
• DOI: 10.1186/s40693-016-0063-9
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0717-6317

Abstract

Abstract Background In one-piece nesting termites, which nest and forage in a single piece of wood, soldier production increases during the swarming period, i.e. when the risk of invasion of their substrate and hence of their colony by dealates in search of a nesting substrate increases. InNeotermes chilensis, a one-piece nesting termite endemic to Chile, we hypothesized: i) that during swarming soldiers would defend their colony by showing higher aggressiveness toward non-nestmate than toward nestmate dealates, ii) that aggressiveness would negatively correlate with genetic relatedness of interacting soldier/dealate pairs and iii) that nestmate recognition would be based on differences in cues provided by cuticular compounds (CC) between nestmates and non-nestmate dealates. Methods The first hypothesis was tested using bioassays in which a soldier was confronted with a nestmate or a non-nestmate dealate; the second hypothesis by using microsatellites to assess genetic relatedness of the interacting pairs; and the third hypothesis using bioassays in which a soldier was confronted with a nestmate or a non-nestmate dead dealate with or without its CC and with dead dealates with interchanged CC between nestmate and non-nestmate. Results Soldiers were more aggressive toward non-nestmate than nestmate dealates, aggressiveness was inversely correlated with genetic relatedness of the interacting pair, and CC accounted for the differences in aggressiveness towards nestmate and non-nestmate dealates. Conclusions During swarming, soldiers ofN. chilensis protect their nest against invasion by non-nestmate conspecific dealates; discrimination is based on CC and aggressiveness correlates inversely with genetic relatedness of the interacting soldier/dealate pairs.