| bacteria from the gut of australian termites. | the major gut bacteria of the worker caste of nine species of australian termites, belonging to four families, were isolated and identified to generic level. all species were either facultative anaerobes or strict aerobes. a correlation appears to exist between the major gut bacterium and the family to which the termite belongs. the major bacterium from the two lowest termites, mastotermes darwiniensis (family mastotermitidae) and cryptotermes primus (family kalotermitidae), was streptococcus; f ... | 1978 | 655700 |
| the effect of humidity on germination and infection of termites by the hyphomycete, metarhizium anisopliae. | the effect of relative humidities (r.h.) from 90 to 100% on germination of a termite-active isolate of metarhizium anisopliae (isolate fi25 and fi610) was studied using a liquid germinating medium to which the appropriate amount of glycerol had been added. germination was increasingly delayed at water activities equivalent to 99, 98, and 96% r.h. and completely inhibited at 94, 92, and 90%. twenty-one isolates were then screened for germination at 96 and 100% r.h. all isolates showed delayed ger ... | 1997 | 9028930 |
| field evaluation of the bait toxicant chlorfluazuron in eliminating coptotermes acinaciformis (froggatt) (isoptera: rhinotermitidae). | two aspects of the exterra termite interception and baiting system (ensystex, fayetteville, nc) were evaluated in a field experiment using 13 termite mounds near townsville, australia. first, a cellulose-acetate powder containing either 0.05% wt:wt or 0.25% wt:wt chlorfluazuron (requiem, ensystex, fayetteville, nc) was tested for its efficacy in eliminating colonies of the xylophagous mound-building subterranean termite coptotermes acinaciformis (froggatt). the moist bait matrix was replenished ... | 2003 | 14977122 |
| heterologous overexpression of a mutant termite cellulase gene in escherichia coli by dna shuffling of four orthologous parental cdnas. | among cellulase genes, those of animals are known for their difficulty in overexpression. we constructed a chimeric library by family shuffling of endo-beta-1,4-glucanase genes from four different termite species (reticulitermes speratus, nasutitermes takasagoensis, coptotermes formosanus, and coptotermes acinaciformis) sharing 78.5-96% homology in amino acid sequence. the constructed library was screened by congo red plate assay combined with 96-well micro-enzyme assay, and clones showing enhan ... | 2005 | 16195589 |
| borate protection of softwood from coptotermes acinaciformis (isoptera: rhinotermitidae) damage: variation in protection thresholds explained. | laboratory and field data reported in the literature are confusing with regard to "adequate" protection thresholds for borate timber preservatives. the confusion is compounded by differences in termite species, timber species and test methodology. laboratory data indicate a borate retention of 0.5% mass/mass (m/m) boric acid equivalent (bae) would cause > 90% termite mortality and restrict mass loss in test specimens to < or = 5%. field data generally suggest that borate retentions appreciably > ... | 2006 | 17066808 |
| diversity of wolbachia in odontotermes spp. (termitidae) and coptotermes heimi (rhinotermitidae) using the multigene approach. | the intracellular bacteria, wolbachia, are well known for inducing reproductive alterations in arthropod hosts, especially insects. the ancient origin and huge diversity, combined with the ecological, biological and behavioral plasticity of termites, make the latter exciting candidates for studying the interactions of wolbachia. in the present study, we investigated the distribution of wolbachia in populations of odontotermes spp. and coptotermes heimi termites occurring in 14 colonies (12 odont ... | 2010 | 20402779 |
| characterization of a new endogenous endo-β-1,4-glucanase of formosan subterranean termite (coptotermes formosanus). | the present work characterized a new endogenous cellulase (endo-β-1,4-glucanase) gene, cfeg5, uncovered in the transcriptome of formosan subterranean termite (coptotermes formosanus). the full-length gene was cloned and sequenced. it is similar to the cfeg3a described earlier (zhang et al., 2009) but not likely an allelic variant. genomewalker™ dna walking analysis indicated that there may be one copy of cfeg5 and two copies of cfeg3a in the termite genome. as with cfeg3a, the transcript of cfeg ... | 2010 | 21195179 |
| on the respiratory quotient (rq) of termites (insecta: isoptera). | the respiratory quotient (rq) at 28 degrees c was determined by warburg manometry in 23 species of termites from the mbalmayo forest reserve (cameroon) and three sub-tropical species cultured under laboratory conditions in the u.k. or freshly collected in australia. the data are tabulated with other recently reported rqs (determined by manometry or gc) and with measured ch(4) emission rates to provide a survey of 29 species covering both lower and higher termites in all major trophic (functional ... | 1997 | 12770453 |
| effect of vibratory soldier alarm signals on the foraging behavior of subterranean termites (isoptera: rhinotermitidae). | termite soldiers produce a vibratory alarm signal to warn conspecific workers. this study recorded and characterized the alarm signals of coptotermes acinaciformis (froggatt) (isoptera: rhinotermitidae) and then investigated the effect of playing these recorded alarm signals on c. acinaciformis feeding activity. foraging groups of termites were offered paired wooden blocks: either one block, continuously stimulated with a vibratory alarm signal, paired with a nonstimulated block (the alarm treat ... | 2009 | 19253626 |
| termites eavesdrop to avoid competitors. | competition exclusion, when a single species dominates resources due to superior competitiveness, is seldom observed in nature. termites compete for resources with deadly consequences, yet more than one species can be found feeding in the same wooden resource. this is especially surprising when drywood species, with colonies of a few hundred, are found cohabiting with subterranean species, with colonies of millions. termites communicate vibro-acoustically and, as these signals can travel over lo ... | 2009 | 19710058 |
| rapid elimination of field colonies of subterranean termites (isoptera: rhinotermitidae) using bistrifluron solid bait pellets. | the efficacy of bistrifluron, a chitin synthesis inhibitor, in cellulose bait pellets was evaluated on the mound-building subterranean termite, coptotermes acinaciformis (froggatt). three concentrations of the bistrifluron were used: 0 (untreated control), 0.5, and 1.0% over an 8 wk period. both doses of bistrifluron bait eliminated (viz. termites absent from nest or mound) termite colonies: 83% of colonies (10 of 12) were either eliminated or moribund (viz. colony had no reproductive capacity a ... | 2010 | 20429458 |
| international field trials of pyrethroid-treated wood exposed to coptotermes acinaciformis in australia and coptotermes formosanus (isoptera: rhinotermitidae) in china and the united states. | coptotermes wasmann is one of the most important genera of wood-destroying insect pests, both in its native and introduced countries. pyrethroids are among the most widely used insecticides in wood preservation around the world. consequently, they have often been evaluated against different species of coptotermes. however, because various test methods have been used between countries, comparing results is problematic. these field trials, using a single aboveground method of exposure, assessed a ... | 2013 | 23448048 |
| ability of field populations of coptotermes spp., reticulitermes flavipes, and mastotermes darwiniensis (isoptera: rhinotermitidae; mastotermitidae) to damage plastic cable sheathings. | a comparative field study was conducted to evaluate the ability of subterranean termites to damage a set of four different plastic materials (cable sheathings) exposed below- and above-ground. eight pest species from six countries were included, viz., coptotermes formosanus (shiraki) in china, japan, and the united states; coptotermes gestroi (wasmann) in thailand and malaysia; coptotermes curvignathus (holmgren) and coptotermes kalshoveni (kemner) in malaysia; coptotermes acinaciformis (froggat ... | 2013 | 23865207 |
| termites utilise clay to build structural supports and so increase foraging resources. | many termite species use clay to build foraging galleries and mound-nests. in some cases clay is placed within excavations of their wooden food, such as living trees or timber in buildings; however the purpose for this clay is unclear. we tested the hypotheses that termites can identify load bearing wood, and that they use clay to provide mechanical support of the load and thus allow them to eat the wood. in field and laboratory experiments, we show that the lower termite coptotermes acinaciform ... | 2016 | 26854187 |
| cryptic termites avoid predatory ants by eavesdropping on vibrational cues from their footsteps. | eavesdropping has evolved in many predator-prey relationships. communication signals of social species may be particularly vulnerable to eavesdropping, such as pheromones produced by ants, which are predators of termites. termites communicate mostly by way of substrate-borne vibrations, which suggest they may be able to eavesdrop, using two possible mechanisms: ant chemicals or ant vibrations. we observed termites foraging within millimetres of ants in the field, suggesting the evolution of spec ... | 2017 | 28111901 |