Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T19:06:31.779Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Mound structure and nest population of the termite, Pseudacanthotermes spiniger (Sjostedt) in Kenya

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

Johanna P. E. C. Darlington
Johanna P. E. C. Darlington*
Affiliation:
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, P.O. Box 30772, Nairobi, Kenya
*
*Contact address: University Museum of Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK.
Get access

Abstract

Several mounds in western Kenya were excavated to examine their internal structure. The mounds and the soil beneath them were found to be densely packed with discrete chambers containing fungus combs. A simple system of passages opening to the exterior provided both access and ventilation to the interior of the nest. One nest was killed by fumigation and its contents extracted. The nest population was estimated to be 0.28 million adult steriles with a biomass of 462 g dry weight, and the total dry weight of fungus comb was 2.8 kg. These estimates are very low in comparison to nests of Macrotermes spp. that build mounds of comparable size. The ratio of fungus comb weight to adult biomass (6:1) is higher than that in Macrotermes spp., perhaps because the comb is constructed in a different way.

Résumé

Plusieurs termitières dans l'Ouest du Kenya ont ete fouillees en vue d'examiner leur structure interne. Les termitières et le sol sous-jacent se sont révelés densement tassés, avec des chambres distinctes renfermant des meules à champignon. Un système simple de galéries ouvrant sur l'extérieur permettait à la fois l'acces et I'aération de l'interieur du nid. Une des termitières a ete detruite par fumigation et son contenu retiré. La population du nid a été estimées à 0,28 millions d'adultes stériles avec une biomasse de 462 g de poids sec tandis que le poids sec total de la meule à champignon a été de 2,8 kg. Ces estimations sont très faibles comparées aux nids de Macrotermes spp. qui construisent des termitières d'une taille semblabie. Le rapport entre poids de la meule à champignon et biomasse adulte (6:1) est plus élevé que chez Macrotermes spp., peutêtre à cause de le meule qui est construite différement.

Keywords

ventilationfungus combsprefermentationpopulationbiomassaérationmeule à champignonpré-fermentationpopulationbiomasse
Type
Research Articles
Information
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science , Volume 15 , Issue 4-5 , October 1994 , pp. 445 - 452
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 1994

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Bagine, R. K. N., Darlington, J. P. E. C., Kat, P. and Ritchie, J. M. (1989) Nest structure and genetic differentiation of some morphologically similar species of Macrotermes in Kenya. Sociobiology 15, 125–132.Google Scholar
Coaton, W. G. H. and Sheasby, J. L. (1977) National survey of the Isoptera of Southern Africa, No. 13. The genus Pseudacanthotermes Sjostedt (Termitidae: Macrotermitinae). Cimbebasia (series A) 3, 183–206.Google Scholar
Darlington, J. P. E. C. (1984a) A method for sampling the populations of large termite nests. Ann. Appl. Biol. 104, 427–436.Google Scholar
Darlington, J. P. E. C. (1984b) Two types of mound built by the termite Macrotermes subhyalinus in Kenya. Insect Sci. Applic. 5, 481–492.Google Scholar
Darlington, J. P. E. C. (1986) Seasonality in mature nests of the termite Macrotermes michaelseni in Kenya. Insectes Soc. 33, 168–189.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Darlington, J. P. E. C. (1988) The structure of mature mounds of the termite Macrotermes herus in Kenya. Insect Sci. Applic. 9, 339–345.Google Scholar
Darlington, J. P. E. C. (1989) Ventilation systems in termite nests in Kenya. Sociobiology 15, 263–264.Google Scholar
Darlington, J. P. E. C. (1990) Populations in nests of the termite Macrotermes subhyalinus in Kenya. Insectes Soc. 37, 158–168.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Darlington, J. P. E. C. and Dransfield, R. D. (1987) Size relationships in nest populations and mound parameters in the termite Macrotermes michaelseni in Kenya. Insectes Soc. 34, 165–180.Google Scholar
Darlington, J. P. E. C., Zimmerman, P. R. and Wandiga, S. O. (1992) Populations in nests of the termite Macrotermes jeanneli in Kenya. J. Trop. Ecol. 8, 73–85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Emerson, A. E. (1928) Termites of the Belgian Congo and Cameroon. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 57, 401–574.Google Scholar
Grasse, P. P. and Noirot, C. (1951) Nouvelles recherches sur la biologie de divers termites champignonnistes (Macrotermitinae). Ann. Sc. Nat., Zool. 11, 291–340.Google Scholar
Harris, W. V. (1963) Isoptera. Explor. Parc. Nat. Garamba, Miss. H. de Saeger 42, 1–43. Bruxelles.Google Scholar
Josens, G. (1977) Recherches sur la structure et le fonctionnement des nids hypogés de quatre espèces de Macrotermitinae (Termitidae) communes dans les savanes de Lamto (Côte d'Ivoire). Memoires de la Classe des Sciences, Coll. 8–2nd series 42(5), Academie Royale de Belgique, pp. 77–91.Google Scholar
Noirot, C. (1970) The nests of termites. In Biology of Termites (Edited by Krishna, K. and Weesner, F. M.), Vol. II, pp. 73–125. Academic Press, New York and London.Google Scholar
Sands, W. A. (1965) Termite distribution in man-modified habitats in West Africa, with special reference to species segregation in the genus Trinervitermes (Isoptera, Termitidae, Nasutitermitinae). J. Anim. Ecol. 34, 557–571.CrossRefGoogle Scholar