Termites Trinervitermes

Prestwich, G.D. Chemical Composition of the Soldier Secretions of the Termite Trinervitermes gratiosus. Insect Biochem. 7, 91-94 (1977). 

Prestwich, G.D. Isotrinervi-2-P-ol. Structural Isomers in the Defense Secretions of the Allopatric Populations of the Termite Trinervitermes gratiosus. Experientia 34, 682-684 (1978). 

Leuthold, R. H. and Ltischer, M. (1974) An unusual caste polymorphism of the sternal gland and its trail pheromone production in the termite Trinervitermes bettonianus. Insectes Sociaux, 21, 335-42. 

Prestwich, G. D. (1978) Isotrinervi-2p-ol. Structural isomers in the defense secretions of allopatric populations of the termite Trinervitermes gratiosus. Experientia, 34, 682-3. 

Termites, Odontotermes transvaalensis, Trinervitermes dispar, whole ... 

T73 Trinervitermes bettonianus,575 Cubitermes umbratus,576 termites, Monomorium, ants 577... 

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]. 

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 ... 

The total number of Trinervitermes termites placed into the Mason jar were as follows ... 

The jars were sampled every five minutes for CH4 and CO2. Sampling was stopped after one hour. The amount of CH4 concentration emitted by Trinervitermes termites rose from 1.793 ppmv, the ambient concentration, to 22.46 ppmv at the end of one hour. The Ternervitermes termites CO2 concentration rose from 400 ppmv, the ambient concentration, to 2500 ppmv at the end of the hour. The air above the soil gave CH4 and CO2 concentrations that were not significantly different from the ambient air concentrations. The Cubitermes termites emitted CH4 concentration which ranged from the ambient concentration of 1.749 ppmv to 27.26 ppmv at the end of the hour while the CO2 concentration ranged from 400 ppmv in ambient sample to 2500 ppmv at the end of the experiment. The soil materials had identical result to that of the Trinervitermes soil. 

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],... 

Squirting which involves ejection by the soldiers of a viscous, sticky secretion from a specialized elongated rostrum called the nasus Nasutitermes, Trinervitermes) and thus avoids physical contact between termite and enemy. 

Fig. 1. The drawings show three aspects of the chemical defenses that can be found in termites. In Cubitermes, the secretion from the frontal gland penetrates the wound made by the jaws. For Schedorhinotermes, the action of the jaws becomes secondary, since the secretion is directly applied against the adversary like a brush. In the case of Trinervitermes, the secretion is ejected from a distance, the nasute has no contact with the antagonist and the mandibles are withdrawn.

Prestwich, G.D., S.P. Tanis, J.P. Springer, and J. Clardy Nasute Termite Soldier Frontal Gland Secretions. 1. Structure of Trinervi-2-p-3-a-9a-triol-9-0-acetate, a Novel Diterpene from Trinervitermes Soldiers. J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 98, 6061-6062... 

Leuthold, R. H. (1977) Postflight communication in two termite species, Trinervitermes bettonianus and Hodotermes mossambicus, Proc, VIII Int, Cong. lUSSI. Pudoc, Wageningen. pp. 62-4. 

Prestwich, G. D., Tanis, S. P., Pilkiewicz, F., Miura, I., Nakanishi, K. (1976) Nasute termite frontal gland secretions II. Structures of trinervitane congeners from Trinervitermes soldiers. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 98, 6062-4. 

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