Occurrence, body mass and biomass of Syntermes spp. (Isoptera: Termitidae) in Reserva Ducke, Central Amazonia

The leaf-feeding species Syntermes molestus and S. spinosus are two dominant termite species in Reserva Ducke in Central Amazonia; two other species (S. aculeosus, S. longiceps) exist in the area. All species except S. aculeosus were also found in urban areas. The workers of S. molestus and S. spino...

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Main Author: Christopher MARTIUS
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia 1998-09-01
Series:Acta Amazonica
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0044-59671998000300319&tlng=en
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author Christopher MARTIUS
author_facet Christopher MARTIUS
author_sort Christopher MARTIUS
collection DOAJ
description The leaf-feeding species Syntermes molestus and S. spinosus are two dominant termite species in Reserva Ducke in Central Amazonia; two other species (S. aculeosus, S. longiceps) exist in the area. All species except S. aculeosus were also found in urban areas. The workers of S. molestus and S. spinosus have average body dry weights of 4.5±0.2 and 13.1±1.4 mg, and the weight of their soldiers is 8.2±0.2 and 51.0±1.7 mg, respectively. Therefore, S. spinosus is among the largest termites of the world. In both species, fresh weight is about 4.7 higher than dry weight (a wider relation than in other termite species). The biomass of the populations of both species amounted to about 1 g m-2 (dry weight; indirect estimate), which rises previous assessments of the total termite biomass by about 36-45%, to a value of 3.0-3.5 g m-2.
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spelling doaj.art-538296b8dafb48d5b8514d8d9f34b4712022-12-21T19:22:39ZengInstituto Nacional de Pesquisas da AmazôniaActa Amazonica0044-59671998-09-0128331931910.1590/1809-43921998283324Occurrence, body mass and biomass of Syntermes spp. (Isoptera: Termitidae) in Reserva Ducke, Central AmazoniaChristopher MARTIUSThe leaf-feeding species Syntermes molestus and S. spinosus are two dominant termite species in Reserva Ducke in Central Amazonia; two other species (S. aculeosus, S. longiceps) exist in the area. All species except S. aculeosus were also found in urban areas. The workers of S. molestus and S. spinosus have average body dry weights of 4.5±0.2 and 13.1±1.4 mg, and the weight of their soldiers is 8.2±0.2 and 51.0±1.7 mg, respectively. Therefore, S. spinosus is among the largest termites of the world. In both species, fresh weight is about 4.7 higher than dry weight (a wider relation than in other termite species). The biomass of the populations of both species amounted to about 1 g m-2 (dry weight; indirect estimate), which rises previous assessments of the total termite biomass by about 36-45%, to a value of 3.0-3.5 g m-2.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0044-59671998000300319&tlng=enAmazon rain forestleaf-feeding termitesbody massbiomass
spellingShingle Christopher MARTIUS
Occurrence, body mass and biomass of Syntermes spp. (Isoptera: Termitidae) in Reserva Ducke, Central Amazonia
Acta Amazonica
Amazon rain forest
leaf-feeding termites
body mass
biomass
title Occurrence, body mass and biomass of Syntermes spp. (Isoptera: Termitidae) in Reserva Ducke, Central Amazonia
title_full Occurrence, body mass and biomass of Syntermes spp. (Isoptera: Termitidae) in Reserva Ducke, Central Amazonia
title_fullStr Occurrence, body mass and biomass of Syntermes spp. (Isoptera: Termitidae) in Reserva Ducke, Central Amazonia
title_full_unstemmed Occurrence, body mass and biomass of Syntermes spp. (Isoptera: Termitidae) in Reserva Ducke, Central Amazonia
title_short Occurrence, body mass and biomass of Syntermes spp. (Isoptera: Termitidae) in Reserva Ducke, Central Amazonia
title_sort occurrence body mass and biomass of syntermes spp isoptera termitidae in reserva ducke central amazonia
topic Amazon rain forest
leaf-feeding termites
body mass
biomass
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0044-59671998000300319&tlng=en
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