Production of nymphs and apterous neotenic reproductives in Subterranean termites, Reticulitermes flavipes and R. malletei (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae), in Delaware, U.S.A.

摘要

Colonies of Reticulitermes malletei Clement have been found to dominate a study site in Lewes, DE, USA over other species of subterranean termites. This study was initiated to determine factors that would allow R. malletei to do so, specifically the rate of development of nymphs and apterous neotenic (ergatoid) reproductives as a result of orphaning. Results showed that for worker termites collected during the swarm of 2004, there was no statistical difference in nymph or ergatoid reproductive production rates between the two species: 52.1% for R. flavipes nymphs vs 55.0% for R. malletei nymphs; 0.0% for R. flavipes ergatoid reproductives vs 5.0% for R. malletei ergatoid reproductives. In contrast, for worker termites collected post-swarm in 2005, there were statistically significant differences between the species: 93.3% for R. flavipes nymphs Vs 80% for R. malletei nymphs; 6.6% for R. flavipes ergatoid reproductives Vs 93.3% for R. malletei ergatoid reproductives. Few individuals of either caste developed in the experimental containers; many times only one replacement reproductive was observed. Neither species showed an advantage in the minimum time required to produce nymphs: 41.6+or-11.0 days to 53.8+or-23.2 days for R. flavipes and 46.5+or-22.1 days to 57.4+or-35.8 days for R. malletei.