Differential adsorption of allospecific hydrocarbons by the cuticles of two termite species, Reticulitermes santonensis and R. lucifugus grassei, living in a mixed colony : Passive transfer by contact

Abstract

When members of the two termite species Reticulitermes santonensis and Reticulitermes lucifugus grassei were placed together, each species acquired some of the allospecific cuticular products. When living individuals of each of these two species were placed together, their cuticular hydrocarbon profiles changed very quickly, since it was within the first two hours of cohabitation that they differed most from those of the corresponding control individuals. After the first two hours, the profiles of the R. santonensis individuals continued to change only very little if at all, whereas 24 h later, the process of change continued in the R. lucifugus grassei individuals until their profiles resembled those of the mixed R. santonensis individuals more than their own original profiles. The profiles of the R. l. grassei individuals therefore underwent a greater change than those of the R. santonensis individuals during the period of cohabitation. The fact that similar results were obtained when dead members of these two species were placed together suggests that this difference in the adsorption of allospecific hydrocarbon by the cuticles of the members of the two species cannot be attributable to any behavioural differences, but to differences in physico–chemical composition of the cuticles between the two species.