Reticulitermes termites

In European Reticulitermes termites however, 16 known terpene compounds were isolated from the soldier frontal gland secretion, including monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, diterpenes, and one sesterterpene [184]. 

Siderhurst, M. S., James, D. M., Rithner, C. D Dick, D. L. and Bjostad, L. B. 2005. Isolation and characterization of norharmane from Reticulitermes termites (Isoptera Rhinotermitidae). Journal of Economic Enthomology, 98 1669-1678. 

Reinhard J. and Clement J.-L. (2002) Alarm reaction of European Reticulitermes termites to soldier head capsule volatiles (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae). J. Insect Behav. 15, 95-107. 

Bagn res, A.-G., Clement, J.-L., Lange, C. and Blum, M.S. (1990a). Cuticular compounds in Reticulitermes termites species, caste and colonial signature. In Social Insects and the Environment, ed. G.K. Veeresh, B. Malik and C. A. Viraktamath. New Delhi Oxford and IBH, p.423. 

Uva, P., Clement, J.-L., Austin, J. W., Aubert, J., Zaffagnini, V., Quintana, A. and Bagneres, A.-G. (2004b). Origin of a new Reticulitermes termite (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae) inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA data. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol., 30, 344-353. 

Two reports by Howard et al. have described chemical mimicry between various Coleoptera staphylinids and their Reticulitermes termite hosts (Howard et al., 1980, 1982). These papers triggered the still-ongoing controversy over the possibility of de novo synthesis of mimicking hydrocarbons by parasites. There is some evidence that de novo synthesis may occur in some cases (see above). Technical limits at that time, and the low available number of termitophiles, hindered further progress. None have offered any cogent explanation of how we could achieve the results according to R. W. Howard (personal communication). Other staphylinid termitophile references unfortunately did not review the chemical mimicry phenomenon (Kistner, 2000). 

Siderhurst MS, James DM, Rithner CD, Dick DL, Bjostad LB. Isolatitm and characterization of nrafaaimane from Reticulitermes termites (Isoptera Rhinotermitidae). JEcon Enthomol 2005 98 1669-78. 

Nguyen KB, Smart GC. Neosteinernema longicurvicauda n. gen. n. sp. (Rhabditida steinemematidae) a parasite of the termite. Reticulitermes flavipes (Koller). J Nematol. 1994 26 162-174. 

Imamura etal. (1986) exposed particleboard made from acetylated wood to the termite species Coptotermes formosanus and Reticulitermes speratus. A forced feeding test according to the JWPA standard 11-1981, where the untreated or acetylated wood was the only food source, and a choice feeding test (where wood specimens were randomly placed on a termite breeding colony for 30 days) were used. With C. formosanus, there was limited attack of the fully acetylated boards, with about 50 % termite mortality after 3 weeks in forced feeding tests, whereas with R. sparatus there was virtually no attack and 100% mortality. 

Rowell etal. (1987b) produced PF-bonded flakeboard from acetylated southern pine (21.6 % WPG) or aspen (17.6 % WPG) flakes. This was not completely resistant to attack by termites Reticulitermes flavipes) in a 4-week test. It was thought that acetylation was less effective in preventing termite attack than other chemical modifications because cellulose decomposition in the intestines of termites leads to acetic acid formation in any case. 

Particleboards and flakeboards made from acetylated flakes have been tested for resistance to several different t5 pes of organisms. In a 4-week termite test using Reticulitermes flavipes (subterranean termites), boards acetylated at 16 to 17 WPG were very resistant to attack, but not completely so (, 36,37) This may be attributed to the severity of the test. However, since termites can live on acetic acid and decompose cellulose to mainly acetic acid, perhaps it is not surprising that acetylated wood is not completely resistant to termite attack. 

Reinhard J. and Kaib M. (2001) Trail communication during foraging and recruitment in the subterranean termite Reticulitermes santonensis De Feytaud (Isoptera Rhinotermitidae). J. Insect Behav. 14, 157-171. 

Clement, J.-L. (1982). Signaux responsables de Fagression interspecifique des termites du genre Reticulitermes (Isopteres). C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, 294, 635-638. 

Dronnet S., Lohou, C., Christides, J.-P. and Bagneres, A.-G. (2006). Cuticular hydrocarbon composition reflects genetic relationship among colonies of the introduced termite Reticulitermes santonensis Feytaud. J. Chem. Ecol., 32, 1027-1042. 

In most cases the double bonds are not conjugated. One exception is the conjugated diene (Z,Z)-7,9-pentacosadiene identified in the termite Reticulitermes flavipes (Howard et al., 1978). In every case where determined, the double bonds are in the (Z) configuration (Blomquist et al., 1987). 

Howard, R.W., McDaniel, C.A. and Blomquist, G.J. (1978). Cuticular hydrocarbons of the eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar)... 

Vauchot, B., Provost, E Bagneres, A.-G. and Clement, J.-L. (1996). Regulation of the chemical signatures of two termite species, Reticulitermes santonensis and R. (1.) grassei, living in mixed colonies. /. Insect Physiol., 42, 309-321. 

Austin, J. W., Bagneres, A.-G., Szalanski, A.L., Scheffrahn, R.H., Heintschel, B.P, Messenger, M.T., Clement, J.-L. and Gold, R.E. (2007). Reticulitermes malletei (Isoptera Rhinotermitidae) a valid Nearctic subterranean termite from Eastern North America. Zootaxa, 1554, 1-26. 

Clement, J.-L., Howard, R., Blum, M. S. and Lloyd, H. (1986). Isolement specifique des termites du genre Reticulitermes du sud-est des Etats-unis. Mise en evidence grace a la chimie et au comportement d une espbce jumelle de R. virginicus R. malletei sp. nov. et d une semi-species de R. flavipes. C. R. Acad. Sci., 302, 67-70. 

Clement, J.-L., Lemaire, M., Nagnan, P., Escoubas, P., Bagneres, A.-G and Joulie, C. (1988). Chemical ecology of European termites of the genus Reticulitermes allomones, pheromones and kairomones. Sociobiology, 14, 165-174. 

Delphia, C.M., Copren, K. A. and Haverty, M.I. (2003). Agonistic behavior between individual worker termites from three cuticular hydrocarbon phenotypes of Reticulitermes (Isoptera Rhinotermitidae) from northern California. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am., 96 585-593. 

Reticulitermes urbis a novel feature from a potentially invasive termite species. 

Nelson, L. J., Cool, L.G., Forschler, B.T. and Haverty, M.I. (2001). Correspondence of soldier defense secretion mixtures with cuticular hydrocarbon phenotypes for chemotaxonomy of the termite genus Reticulitermes in North America. J. Chem. Ecol., 21,1449-1479. 

Direct evidence for the use of hydrocarbons in nestmate recognition in social insects has been accumulating over the last fifteen years. When workers of the subterranean termites Reticulitermes speratus and Coptotermes formosanus were topically supplemented with the purified hydrocarbon profile of the other species, this was followed by an increase of aggression by nestmate soldiers (Takahashi and Gassa, 1995). Similarly, the topical application of (Z)-9-C23 1 onto the cuticle of workers of the ant Camponotus vagus resulted in increased antennation and threat in the form of mandible opening (Meskali et al., 1995b). These examples, however, concern qualitatively different hydrocarbons, and thus not variation in abundance that is typical for colonies of the same species. 

Matsumura et al. (25) identified (Z,Z.,E)-3,6,8-dodecatrien-l-ol in extracts of the termite Reticulitermes flavipes and reported that this compound was a powerful releaser of trail following for workers. However, this compound is also produced by the fungus Lenzites trabea which infects the wood fed upon by R. flavipes. The significance of the dodecatrienol in the biology of this termite has recently been examined in considerable detail (26). 

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