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Macrotermes bellicosus is a species of Macrotermes.The queens are the largest amongst known termites, measuring about 4.2 inches (110 mm) long when physogastric. The workers average 0.14 in (3.6 mm) in length and soldiers are slightly larger.
[90] [95] If a queen is absent, a termite king produces pheromones which encourage the development of replacement termite queens. [102] As the queen and king are monogamous, sperm competition does not occur. [103] Termites going through incomplete metamorphosis on the path to becoming alates form a subcaste in certain species of termite ...
Zootermopsis angusticollis is a species of termite in the family Archotermopsidae, a group known as the Pacific dampwood termites, or the rottenwood termites. [1] As their name suggests, the dampwood termites can only survive by living off of wood that contains high amounts of moisture.
The Macrotermitinae, the fungus-growing termites, constitute a subfamily of the family Termitidae that is only found within the Old World tropics.. This subfamily consists of 12 genera and about 350 species and are distinguished by the fact that they cultivate fungi inside their nests to feed the members of the colony.
Reticulitermes flavipes, the eastern subterranean termite, is the most common termite found in North America. [1] These termites are the most economically important wood destroying insects in the United States and are classified as pests . [ 1 ]
Physogastrism or physogastry is a characteristic of certain arthropods (mostly insects and mites), where the abdomen is greatly enlarged and membranous. The most common examples are the "queens" of certain species of eusocial insects such as termites, bees and ants, in which the abdomen swells in order to hold enlarged ovaries, thus increasing fecundity.
The life and reproductive cycles of these termites are relatively normal compared to other members of its family. Species can be identified using the shape and position of the subsidiary tooth in all non-soldier castes, allowing a more certain identification than the previous method, which was based on the more ambiguous morphology of soldiers. [3]
Termitomyces fungi play a major role in termite nutrition. They also influence termite survival and caste development. The fungal garden is managed by the worker caste. In a mature M. natalensis colony, older workers collect dead plant material along with Termitomyces asexual spores from their habitat and pass these on to the younger workers.