Manipulation of reproduction in termites with focus on strategies via neotenics

• Grant number: 12/23898-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: July 01, 2013
• End date: May 04, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Morphology of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Ana Maria Costa-Leonardo
• Grantee: Ives Haifig
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 14/00720-6 - Impact of neoteny on termite colony structure inferred by microsatellite genotyping, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

The manipulation of termite colonies by removing the primary reproductives may promote the appearance of neotenic reproductives, which are individuals originated from workers (ergatoids) or from nymphs (nymphoids) that develop their reproductive apparatus before they reach the adult phase. The impacts of neotenic reproductives on the termite colony structure, such as the differentiation of particular castes, have already been seen in studies with some species of lower termites, and they were understood only for one species. However, although the production of neotenics is relatively common within some higher termites (Family Termitidae), to date no study analyzed the populations originated from these individuals. The neotropical termites Silvestritermes euamignathus and Nasutitermes aquilinus belong to the Termitidae family and develop, respectively, nymphoid and ergatoid neotenics in the absence of primary reproductives. By means of morphometry, morphological and genetic analyses, the present research aims to understand the influence of neotenic reproductives in the colonies of higher termites using the species S. euamignathus and N. aquilinus as models. Individuals from colonies headed by primary reproductives will be collected to determine the post-embryonic developmental pathways in both species. The colonies will then be orphaned in order to produce neotenics and their offspring. The neotenics will be analyzed morphometrically to infer their origin and histologically to assess their reproductive activities in the colonies, analyzing their ovaries, fat body and spermateca. To understand the influence of neotenic reproductives in the populations of the colonies, genotyping analyses with microsatellite markers will be performed. The markers will be developed for both termite species in collaboration with Dr. Edward L. Vargo (Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, USA), who is a well-recognized researcher in this field.

Scientific publications

(The scientific publications listed on this page originate from the Web of Science or SciELO databases. Their authors have cited FAPESP grant or fellowship project numbers awarded to Principal Investigators or Fellowship Recipients, whether or not they are among the authors. This information is collected automatically and retrieved directly from those bibliometric databases.)

DA SILVA, LUIZA HELENA BUENO; TEIXEIRA, JULIA AYUMI ANDO; LARANJO, LARA TEIXEIRA; COSTA-LEONARDO, ANA MARIA; VARGO, EDWARD L.; HAIFIG, IVES. Post-embryonic development of the female reproductive system of the Neotropical termite Silvestritermes euamignathus (Isoptera: Termitidae: Syntermitinae). ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT, v. 71, p. 9-pg., 2022-10-21. (12/23898-0, 11/10590-4)

HAIFIG, IVES; VARGO, EDWARD L.; LABADIE, PAUL; COSTA-LEONARDO, ANA MARIA. Unrelated secondary reproductives in the neotropical termite Silvestritermes euamignathus (Isoptera: Termitidae). NATURWISSENSCHAFTEN, v. 103, n. 1-2, FEB 2016. (14/25857-4, 12/23898-0, 14/00720-6)

DA SILVA, IAGO BUENO; HAIFIG, IVES; VARGO, EDWARD L.; CASARIN, FABIANA ELAINE; DA MOTA, MARCELO LUIZ; LIMA, JULIANA TOLEDO; COSTA-LEONARDO, ANA MARIA. Ergatoid reproductives in the Neotropical termite Nasutitermes aquilinus (Holmgren) (Blattaria: Isoptera: Termitidae): developmental origin, fecundity, and genetics. Insect Science, v. 27, n. 6, OCT 2019. (14/25857-4, 12/23898-0, 17/04525-1)