Differential susceptibility of subterranean termite castes to entomopathogenic nematodes

Abstract

We examined the attachment and infectivity of two entomopathogenic nematode species, Steinernema carpocapsae and Heterorhabditis indica, on soldiers and workers in two subterranean termite species, Coptotermes formosanus and C. vastator. In attachment tests with S. carpocapsae, more nematodes attached to soldiers of C. formosanus and C. vastator in the absence of workers compared to soldiers that were in the presence of workers. In tests with soldiers alone, workers alone, and mixture of equal numbers of workers and soldiers, soldiers in the mixed groups had lower mortality than soldiers alone after 1 and 4 days for both termite species. Exposure of small groups of either termite species to S. carpocapsae resulted in higher mortality of soldiers after 1 and 4 days post exposure. Mortality in soldiers alone exposed to H. indica was not significant compared to mortality in mixed groups at 1 day exposure, but was significant after 4 days. In concentration–mortality tests, a significant two-way interaction existed between nematode concentration and termite caste for C. formosanus exposed to S. carpocapsae for 1 and 4 days. A significant effect of nematode concentration was found for C. vastator exposed to H. indica for 1 day. This termite species had lower mortality when exposed to H. indica after 1 and 4 days compared to C. formosanus. At 4 days post exposure to H. indica, the effects of nematode concentration and termite caste were significant. Steinernema carpocapsae caused higher mortality than H. indica, but mortality of workers was higher when exposed to H. indica. Soldiers of both species experienced rapid mortality when exposed to S. carpocapsae, whereas soldiers of C. vastator experienced lower mortality when exposed to H. indica. Thus, our results show that when soldiers alone or workers alone are exposed to the nematodes, there is a differential susceptibility of soldiers and workers to nematode infection with soldiers being more susceptible than workers. In a mixed group of soldiers and workers or workers alone, it appears that grooming behavior of the workers serves as a mechanism to reduce nematode infection of soldiers and workers. The reason for this differential response to nematode infection is that soldiers do not exhibit grooming behavior.