ARS | Publication request: CHANGES IN THE RATIOS OF FOUR CUTICULAR HYDROCARBONS IN THE FORMOSAN SUBTERRANEAN TERMITE (COPTOTERMES FORMOSANUS) DUE TO DIET

Submitted to: Entomological Society of America Regional Meetings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: December 15, 2004
Publication Date: August 1, 2005
Citation: Rojas, M.G., Werle, C.T., Cottrell, N.L., Morales Ramos, J.A. 2005. Changes in the ratios of four cuticular hydrocarbons in the formosan subterranean termite (coptotermes formosanus) due to diet. Sociobiology 46(1):131-140.

Technical Abstract: Colonies of the Formosan subterranean termite were located and collected from eight sites in Mississippi and Louisiana from January through July 2004 using two different collection methods. Quantitative and qualitative assessments were made of the cuticular hydrocarbons extracted from samples of these termites as they were collected from the field and again after being established as lab colonies using gc/ms. The most abundant fatty acid detected was oleic, followed by stearic, palmitic, and palmitoleic acids. Results of this analysis indicate that diet contributes to variability in the ratios of fatty acids in termite workers, and thus may affect recognition and agonistic behavior between termites.