ECOLOGICAL STUDIES ON TILE SYMBIOSIS OF TER ITOMYCES ...

TADLS 5,5.2 Fungi cultured from the faacal pellets of Ancistrotermea
cavithorax foracers on selectLvo medi=,,
5,5,3 GENMAL DISCUSSION
Noe of
Termil2mXces
Other ftngi 0
Total no*
IsolatIons made 10
Those fungi obtained from the fungus combs of the different
species are &119 with the exception of Xylarla co=wnly found in
the Wma soils.
Termit=cen, vas Isolated from both fresh and older Ancistrotermes,
coch (Tablo 5*5*0% and In carrled*by the foragern (Table SoS*U)e This
would suggest that when the faccal pellets are placed on the cc=b they
are already mixed vith Termit2=os,
The results Insections 5*2 to 5*5 indicate that different termite
species have different strategies of Incorporating Termitomyces Into
the food material* In Macrotermen belllcosus only a very stuall
percentage of foragerm carry TemjtZMLce_js. The foraged food Its then
placed In the foodutore where there in no Termitomyce_9 present* The
mixing of TPrm1t=v-iq and the food then either occurs on transfer of
the food from foodstore to comb* or by growth Into the freshly ,'
deposited material of Termlt=Xces, myýelium; from the older sections
of the combo The latter Is the most -likely an Termlt=ces In present
in far Greater amounts1n. the middle-comb zoneq as shown by Isolations
ind dilution plate experimentso Grass-b, (1937)'Also
6
- found 'only a wall
2-27*
ncKxmt 'of debris vhich appeared to'be urcelium or corildia of Termit es
ý_ - 2M
r