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Size and heterozygosity influence partner selection in the Formosan subterranean termite.

ABSTRACT: In monogamous species that exhibit extensive biparental investment, such as termites, both sexes are predicted to be selective when choosing a mate. Size-related traits are expected to be important in partner selection because the fat reserves of the colony founders sustain the incipient colony. Partner relatedness and heterozygosity determine the degree of inbreeding and genetic diversity within the colony and may thus also influence partner selection. To test these predictions, we investigated whether phenotypic and genetic traits influence mate choice and/or competitive advantage during pair formation of Formosan subterranean termites, Coptotermes formosanus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). Pair formation in termites normally occurs within a short period after swarming when alates form tandem pairs on the ground. Alates were collected from 5 light trap samples in the French Quarter of New Orleans, LA. From each sample, both tandem pairs and single individuals were collected and their sex, body weights, and head widths were recorded. Pairwise relatedness and individual levels of heterozygosity were determined by microsatellite genotyping. Males in tandem pairs with females had a significantly larger head width than males that did not form tandem pairs. Weights as well as head widths of tandem running partners were positively correlated. For the majority of the samples, relatedness between tandem partners did not differ from the relatedness to members of the other tandem pairs. Thus, no kin discrimination occurred during tandem running. However, females engaged in tandem running had a higher degree of heterozygosity than females that remained single. These findings suggest partner selection and/or competitive advantage based on size-related phenotypic parameters and genetic diversity. The pairing advantage of heterozygous females might explain previous findings of sex-biased alate production depending on the degree of inbreeding in colonies of several species of the genus Coptotermes.

SUBMITTER: Husseneder C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2474661 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Antennae are the primary sensory organs in insects, where a variety of sensilla are distributed for the perception of the chemical environment. In eusocial insects, colony function is maintained by a division of labor between reproductive and non-reproductive castes, and chemosensation is essential for regulating their specialized social activities. Several social species in Hymenoptera display caste-specific characteristics in antennal morphology and diversity of sensilla, reflecting their differential tasks. In termites, however, little is known about how the division of labor is associated with chemosensory morphology among castes. Using light and scanning electron microscopy, we performed antennal morphometry and characterized the organization of sensilla in reproductive (female and male alates) and non-reproductive (worker and soldier) castes in the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki. Here, we show that the antennal sensilla in alates are twice as abundant as in workers and soldiers, along with the greater number of antennal segments and antennal length in alates. However, all castes exhibit the same types of antennal sensilla, including basiconicum, campaniformium, capitulum, chaeticum I, chaeticum II, chaeticum III, marginal, trichodeum I, and trichodeum I. The quantitative composition of sensilla diverges between reproductive and non-reproductive castes, but not between female and male alates or between worker and soldier castes. The sensilla display spatial-specific distribution, with basiconicum exclusively and capitulum predominantly found on the ventral side of antennae. In addition, the abundance of chemosensilla increases toward the distal end of antennae in each caste. This research provides morphological signatures of chemosensation and their implications for the division of labor, and suggests future neurophysiological and molecular studies to address the mechanisms of chemical communication in termites.

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Size and heterozygosity influence partner selection in the Formosan subterranean termite.

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