ECOLOGICAL STUDIES ON TILE SYMBIOSIS OF TER ITOMYCES ...

2.3.1 GMMIAL BIOLOGY
22-3 TERMITE SPECIES STUDIM
Termites of the sub-family Macrotermitinae live in highly
organised communitien which may be composed of hundreds of thousands
of individuals. The West African savannas aro dominated by the
Macrotermitinao (Ulood and Sands 1978)o
There are several morphologically distinct castes which have
, Avision of labourf performing different biological functions* There
are 3 larval instarn in the Macrotermitinno and newly hatched larvae
are capable of developing Into any caste. This is determined before
their first moult and in probably controlled by pheromones* The
proportions of different castes are maintained further by selective
cannibalism of soldiers or reproductives by the workers (1, ee and
Wood 1971),
The workers, which may be dimorphict are sterile, and are the
most numerous castee For exa plot in Kicrotermen bellicosun, the
mean canto proportions are 0,7% major soldiers, 1.0%, minor soldiersq
10,, I% major workers, 2995% minor workers and 58.8% larvae (Collins
1977), The workers consist of "etable" Individuals which have
achieved their final development and also other individuals which
are capable of further moultingg either whilst remaining an workers,
or by transformation to soldiers* Workers do all the foraging for
foodq care for the eggag laryno and reproductives Including feeding
the larvaos soldiers and reproductives, They also maintain the
fungus combs. In H. ballicoaux and Macrotermen subhyalinuq the
foraging major workers were distinguished from "nurne" workers which
were found attending the fungus comb and larvae*
46.