Reproductive Soldier Development Is Controlled by Direct Physical Interactions with Reproductive and Soldier Termites
In eusocial insects (e.g., ants, bees, and termites), the roles of different castes are assigned to different individuals. These castes possess unique phenotypes that are specialized for specific tasks. The acquisition of sterile individuals with specific roles is considered a requirement for social...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Insects |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/1/76 |
| _version_ | 1797411063824646144 |
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| author | Yudai Masuoka Keigo Nuibe Naoto Hayase Takateru Oka Kiyoto Maekawa |
| author_facet | Yudai Masuoka Keigo Nuibe Naoto Hayase Takateru Oka Kiyoto Maekawa |
| author_sort | Yudai Masuoka |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In eusocial insects (e.g., ants, bees, and termites), the roles of different castes are assigned to different individuals. These castes possess unique phenotypes that are specialized for specific tasks. The acquisition of sterile individuals with specific roles is considered a requirement for social evolution. In termites, the soldier is a sterile caste. In primitive taxa (family Archotermopsidae and Stolotermitidae), however, secondary reproductives (neotenic reproductives) with their mandibles developed into weapons (so-called reproductive soldiers, also termed as soldier-headed reproductives or soldier neotenics) have been reported. To understand the developmental mechanism of this unique caste, it is necessary to understand the environmental cues and developmental processes of reproductive soldiers under natural conditions. Here, we established efficient conditions to induce reproductive soldiers in <i>Zootermopsis nevadensis</i>. Male reproductive soldiers frequently developed after the removal of both the king and soldiers from an incipient colony. Similarly, high differentiation rates of male reproductive soldiers were observed after king-and-soldier separation treatment using wire mesh. However, no male reproductive soldiers were produced without direct interaction with the queen. These results suggest that male reproductive soldier development is repressed by direct physical interactions with both the king and soldiers and facilitated by direct physical interaction with the queen. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:39:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f9210fbe248341d4a2682c7059dcb9ea |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4450 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:39:35Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Insects |
| spelling | doaj.art-f9210fbe248341d4a2682c7059dcb9ea2023-12-03T13:23:51ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502021-01-011217610.3390/insects12010076Reproductive Soldier Development Is Controlled by Direct Physical Interactions with Reproductive and Soldier TermitesYudai Masuoka0Keigo Nuibe1Naoto Hayase2Takateru Oka3Kiyoto Maekawa4Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, NARO (National Agriculture and Food Research Organization), Tsukuba 305-8634, JapanGraduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-8555, JapanSchool of Science, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-8555, JapanSchool of Science, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-8555, JapanFaculty of Science, Academic Assembly, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-8555, JapanIn eusocial insects (e.g., ants, bees, and termites), the roles of different castes are assigned to different individuals. These castes possess unique phenotypes that are specialized for specific tasks. The acquisition of sterile individuals with specific roles is considered a requirement for social evolution. In termites, the soldier is a sterile caste. In primitive taxa (family Archotermopsidae and Stolotermitidae), however, secondary reproductives (neotenic reproductives) with their mandibles developed into weapons (so-called reproductive soldiers, also termed as soldier-headed reproductives or soldier neotenics) have been reported. To understand the developmental mechanism of this unique caste, it is necessary to understand the environmental cues and developmental processes of reproductive soldiers under natural conditions. Here, we established efficient conditions to induce reproductive soldiers in <i>Zootermopsis nevadensis</i>. Male reproductive soldiers frequently developed after the removal of both the king and soldiers from an incipient colony. Similarly, high differentiation rates of male reproductive soldiers were observed after king-and-soldier separation treatment using wire mesh. However, no male reproductive soldiers were produced without direct interaction with the queen. These results suggest that male reproductive soldier development is repressed by direct physical interactions with both the king and soldiers and facilitated by direct physical interaction with the queen.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/1/76termitescaste differentiationsoldiersreproductive soldiersneotenic reproductivesenvironmental cue |
| spellingShingle | Yudai Masuoka Keigo Nuibe Naoto Hayase Takateru Oka Kiyoto Maekawa Reproductive Soldier Development Is Controlled by Direct Physical Interactions with Reproductive and Soldier Termites Insects termites caste differentiation soldiers reproductive soldiers neotenic reproductives environmental cue |
| title | Reproductive Soldier Development Is Controlled by Direct Physical Interactions with Reproductive and Soldier Termites |
| title_full | Reproductive Soldier Development Is Controlled by Direct Physical Interactions with Reproductive and Soldier Termites |
| title_fullStr | Reproductive Soldier Development Is Controlled by Direct Physical Interactions with Reproductive and Soldier Termites |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reproductive Soldier Development Is Controlled by Direct Physical Interactions with Reproductive and Soldier Termites |
| title_short | Reproductive Soldier Development Is Controlled by Direct Physical Interactions with Reproductive and Soldier Termites |
| title_sort | reproductive soldier development is controlled by direct physical interactions with reproductive and soldier termites |
| topic | termites caste differentiation soldiers reproductive soldiers neotenic reproductives environmental cue |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/1/76 |
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