Soldier head morphology of the Neotropical termites: Embiratermes festivellus Silvestri and Spinitermes brevicornutus (Desneux) (Isoptera, Termitidae)

Costa-Leonardo, Ana Maria; Barsotti, Raquel Cristina

doi:10.1590/S0101-81751996000200003

Abstract

Heads of soldier termites belonging to the species Embiratermes festivellus (Silvestri, 1901) (Termitidae, Nasutitermitinae) and Spinitermes brevicornutus (Desneux, 1904) (Termitidae, Termitinae) were examined using scanning electron microscopy. Individual glandular openings are present in the upper part of E. festivellus head and correspond to class 3 glandular cells. Campaniform sensillae occur in both termite heads, but this sensorial structure was not observed in the nasus extremity of E. festivellus soldier.

Isoptera; Embiratermes; Spinitermes; termite; campaniform sensillum

Soldier head morphology of the Neotropical termites: Embiratermes festivellus Silvestri and Spinitermes brevicornutus (Desneux) (Isoptera, Termitidae)

Ana Maria Costa-Leonardo; Raquel Cristina Barsotti

Departamento de Biologia e Centro de Insetos Sociais, Universidade Estadual Paulista. Caixa Postal 199, 13506-900 Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brasil

ABSTRACT

Heads of soldier termites belonging to the species Embiratermes festivellus (Silvestri, 1901) (Termitidae, Nasutitermitinae) and Spinitermes brevicornutus (Desneux, 1904) (Termitidae, Termitinae) were examined using scanning electron microscopy. Individual glandular openings are present in the upper part of E. festivellus head and correspond to class 3 glandular cells. Campaniform sensillae occur in both termite heads, but this sensorial structure was not observed in the nasus extremity of E. festivellus soldier.

Key words: Isoptera, Embiratermes, Spinitermes, termite, campaniform sensillum

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. We thank Dr. Barbara L. Thorne for critical reading of the manuscript and Dr. L.R. Fontes by taxonomic identification. Financial support was provided by CNPq.

Recebido em 31.VIII.1995; aceito em 19.VIII.1996.

Araujo, R.L. 1970. Termites of the Neotropical region, p.527-571. In: K. Krishna & F.M. Weesner (Eds). Biology of termites. New York, Academic Press, vol. 2, XIV+643p.
Deligne, J. 1973. Observations au microscope életronique à balayage d'un nouveau système glandulaire céphalique chez les termites. Proc. Int. Congr. Int. Union Study Soc. Insects, 7th, 1973p.
______. 1983. Description, développement et affinités de Verrucositermes hirtus sp.n. Fonction glandulaire des tubercules du soldat. Rev. Zool. Afr. 97 (3):533-548.
Deligne, J.; A. Quennedey & M.S. Blum. 1981. The enemies and defense mechanisms of termites, p. 1-76. In: H.R. Hermann (Ed.). Social Insects. New York, Academic Press, 491 p.
Emerson, A.E. 1960. New genera the Subulitermes branch of the Nasutitermitinae from the Ethiopian region (Isoptera, Termitidae). Amer. Mus. Nov. 1987, p.1-21.
Junqueira, L.C.V. & M.M.S. Junqueira. 1983. Técnicas básicas de citologia e histologia. São Paulo, Livraria Editora Santos, 123p.
Matews, A.G.A. 1977. Studies on termites from the Mato Grosso State, Brazil. Academia Brasileira de Ciências, 243p.
Miller, L.R. 1991. A revision of the Termes-Capritermes Branch of the Termitinae in Australia (Isoptera: Termitidae). Invertebr. Taxon. 4:1147-1282.
Noirot, Ch & A. Quennedey. 1974. Fine structure of insect epidermal glands. Ann. Rev. Entomol. 19:61-81.
______. 1990. Glands, gland cells, glandular units: some comments on terminology and classification. Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. 27:123-128.
Prestwich, G.D. 1984. Defence mechanisms of termites. Ann. Rev. Entomol. 29:201-232.
Prestwich, G.D.; S.G. Spantan; M. Schneider & C. Bleecher. 1982. Biosynthesis and detoxications of termite-produced contact poisons, p.291. In: M.D. Breed; C.D. Michener & H.E. Evans (Eds). The biology of Social Insects. New York, Academic Press.
Quennedey, A. 1984. Morphology and ultrastructure of termite defense glands, p. 151-200. In: H.R. Hermann (Ed.). Defensive mechanisms in social insects. New York, Praeger Press.
Quennedey, A. & J. Deligne. 1975. L'arme frontalle des soldats de termites. I. Rhinotermitidae. Ins. Soc. 22 (3):243-267.

Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
14 July 2009
Date of issue
1996

History

Accepted
19 Aug 1996
Received
31 Aug 1995

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

[1] Araujo, R.L. 1970. Termites of the Neotropical region, p.527-571. In: K. Krishna & F.M. Weesner (Eds). Biology of termites. New York, Academic Press, vol. 2, XIV+643p.

[2] Deligne, J. 1973. Observations au microscope életronique à balayage d'un nouveau système glandulaire céphalique chez les termites. Proc. Int. Congr. Int. Union Study Soc. Insects, 7th, 1973p.

[3] ______. 1983. Description, développement et affinités de Verrucositermes hirtus sp.n. Fonction glandulaire des tubercules du soldat. Rev. Zool. Afr. 97 (3):533-548.

[4] Deligne, J.; A. Quennedey & M.S. Blum. 1981. The enemies and defense mechanisms of termites, p. 1-76. In: H.R. Hermann (Ed.). Social Insects. New York, Academic Press, 491 p.

[5] Emerson, A.E. 1960. New genera the Subulitermes branch of the Nasutitermitinae from the Ethiopian region (Isoptera, Termitidae). Amer. Mus. Nov. 1987, p.1-21.

[6] Junqueira, L.C.V. & M.M.S. Junqueira. 1983. Técnicas básicas de citologia e histologia. São Paulo, Livraria Editora Santos, 123p.

[7] Matews, A.G.A. 1977. Studies on termites from the Mato Grosso State, Brazil. Academia Brasileira de Ciências, 243p.

[8] Miller, L.R. 1991. A revision of the Termes-Capritermes Branch of the Termitinae in Australia (Isoptera: Termitidae). Invertebr. Taxon. 4:1147-1282.

[9] Noirot, Ch & A. Quennedey. 1974. Fine structure of insect epidermal glands. Ann. Rev. Entomol. 19:61-81.

[10] ______. 1990. Glands, gland cells, glandular units: some comments on terminology and classification. Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. 27:123-128.

[11] Prestwich, G.D. 1984. Defence mechanisms of termites. Ann. Rev. Entomol. 29:201-232.

[12] Prestwich, G.D.; S.G. Spantan; M. Schneider & C. Bleecher. 1982. Biosynthesis and detoxications of termite-produced contact poisons, p.291. In: M.D. Breed; C.D. Michener & H.E. Evans (Eds). The biology of Social Insects. New York, Academic Press.

[13] Quennedey, A. 1984. Morphology and ultrastructure of termite defense glands, p. 151-200. In: H.R. Hermann (Ed.). Defensive mechanisms in social insects. New York, Praeger Press.

[14] Quennedey, A. & J. Deligne. 1975. L'arme frontalle des soldats de termites. I. Rhinotermitidae. Ins. Soc. 22 (3):243-267.