ECOLOGICAL STUDIES ON TILE SYMBIOSIS OF TER ITOMYCES ...

6*2 E3TAUTSIMENT OF THS TMMITCWCES CULTME IM NEW NMT-43*
Introduction
In the Macrotermitinae, now colonies are established by winoed
reproductives (alates) which leave established colonies In synchronized
flights after the start of the rainy seasone The slates undergo post-
flight sequences of courtship behaviour resulting In the loss of wings
and the formation of pairs (Stuart 1969)e The pair then enter tj%o
soils excavate a copularium aW eventually establish a now colony*
One of the questions concerning the association between termites
and Tervrdt2=ce, % was how Temit=ces reaches the newly established
colony, Tvo tiothoda of Inoculation have been suggested In the
literature and both were Invextigateds
(1) The carTiage of an Inoculum of Terinilm 7ces1by the alate. 1,
This was Investigated by wans of gut dissection,, ctilturing of gut
contents and attempts to establish colonies from pairs of alates In
sterile xoLl In the laboratorye
(2) The collection of bazidiospores by the first batch of foragers
produced by the new colony. This was Investigated by seamhing for
frultbodibs
(basidiocarpn)
and collecting the associated termites,
6*2*1 CAMZIAGE OF TMMITOMYCES AND OTHM FUNGI DY ALATF. "S
Hathod3
Alates of several species of kfacroternitinae were collected'duriho
flight, and (in the caso of Macraterm2a ballicosus), from the nest prior
to flight. The alaten were surface sterilized in M111tonts Fluid, their
digestive tract dissected out In sterile water, and placed on selective
medium plates to culture any TendLaMLces presents and on SF medium
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