ECOLOGICAL STUDIES ON TILE SYMBIOSIS OF TER ITOMYCES ...

Sands (1960) observed and photographed the building up of fungus comb
from faecal pellets other authors continued to believe Grassele view
(Cmelik and Douglas 19709 Heim 19779 Rohrmann 1978), while others
agreed with the earliest views of a faecal pellet origin (Abo-Khatwa
1977, Datra and Batra 19799 Choo 1948, Coaton 1961, Josens 19719 Wood
and Johnson 1978). Grasse (1973) finally agreed that the material
from which the fungus combs wero constructed had passed through the
termites Cut and called these mylosphereso
Grass6's (1937) view on the role of the fungus was that it and
the comb played a small nutritional rolep but he did not realise the
dynamic nature of the combs until latere
A different type of function of the fungus comb was proposed by
Ghidini (1938)t that of humidity controle Iles and later authors
Olarris 2951, Hesse 1957)s thought that the large convoluted surface
area of tho comb could function to control humidity by taking up
excess moisture or releasing it whcn the atmosphere was dry*
The major taxonomic work on the fungi associated with termites
was carried out over a number of years by the French mycologist$ Ileimq
whog (Ileim 1940)9 placed all agarics that grew from the fungus combs
of the Macrotermitinae In the genus Termitomyces because of their
combination of characterse lie also cultured the asexual stage of
Termitcqnycen, In the laboratorys Ile wrota many papers over a number
of years on theSiology and taxonmy of Termit9mycess most of which
was collected together and published in 2 papers (Ileim 1942b, 1958)
and In a book (Ileim 1977). tie believed Oletm 1942a) that the comb was
a normal part of the nest architecture and Termit2=cen only Orew
there an it was a suitable medium and was tolerated by the termites.
He rej, ýcted the classical theory that Temit ces1was cultivated
31.