Cubitermes species

We excavated the nest of a Trinervitermes species and Cubitermes species and took the nests to the laboratory for sampling using the teflon enclosure technique [19]. All the CO2 measurements were done using the Matheson CO2 detector tubes and Matheson pump. Table 3 gives the... 

We also carried out measurements of gases emitted by termites when the Trinervitermes species nest and the Cubitermes species nest were broken down and the termites without the soil nest placed into a 1 litre Mason jar. The soils of the two species nests were also placed into another Mason jar and the air above each jar determined for CO2 and CH4. The number of Cubitermes termites placed into the Mason jar were as follows ... 

Cubitermes species are soil feeders which do not usually venture to the surface. They construct hard earthen nests, which are common in African savannas, and usually take the form of small tumuli or are mushroom-shaped. The cap of the mushroom-shaped nest of C. sankurensis contains 58% of the free space of the nest but a minority of the colony (Bouillon and Lekie, 1964). The cap may help in insulating the stem of the nest from high daytime temperatures caused by... 

We have made both field and laboratory measurments of the emission of CH4 and CO2 from both higher and lower termite families (Macro-termes, mound building species, Cubitermes, soil feeders, Trinervitermes, Reticulitermes, lower termites, and Gnathermitermes). Similarly, we have made laboratory measurements of the emission of CH4, CO2, CO, H2, C2 to Cio hydrocarbons, and reduced sulphur species from Reticulitermes and Gnathermitermes species. In addition, emissions from arboreal nests of an unidentified species of Nasutitermitinae were sampled in the field in Guatemala and analyzed for CH4 and C2 to Cio hydrocarbons [9]. 

Cembranoids are present both in plants and animals. The majority of the cembranoids of plant origin was isolated from tobacco. Cembranoid diterpenes, which serve as a trail pheromone and defense secretions, have been obtained from termites Nasutitermes exitiosus [160], Trinervitermes bettonianus [161], and various species of Cubitermes [162] and the ant Monmorium pharaonis [163],... 

A more common method of chemical defense in the Termitinae is the use of biting or cutting mandibles which are contaminated with a frontal gland secretion, such as occurs in Cubitermes and Amitermes species. 

African species of Amitermes build hard small mound nests of wood carton and earthen material, often based on a rotting tree stump. The frontal gland secretions of the Amitermes species are, however, totally different from those of Cubitermes. The West African species A. evt/nci/cr contains a sesquiterpene ether, 4,11-epoxy-cis-eudesmane (>90%) (Wadhams et al., 1974) with 10-epi-endesma-3,11-diene, 8-epi-cararrapi oxide, cararrapi oxide, and c/5-/3-ocimene as minor components (Fig. 16.11) (Baker et al., 1978). The secretion is toxic to some ants on topical application, causing motor ataxia, frequently followed by death. Two potential predators, the ants Odontomachus haematodus and Oecophylla longinoda are affected in this way. 

The name cubitane" comes from cubitene. a hydrocarbon isolated from a termite of the East African species Cubitermes umhratus (Prestwich et a ., 1978). 

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