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Abstract
The Asian subterranean termite, Coptotermes gestroi, is a tropical species but has increasingly been collected from the subtropics in recent years, making it sympatric to the Formosan subterranean termite, C. formosanus in at least three areas, Taiwan, Hawaii, and Florida. Simultaneous flights by these two species were observed since 2013 in South Florida, during which interspecies tandems were observed. Laboratory mating of C. formosanus and C. gestroi alates produced hybrid incipient colonies of larger population size. Studies are underway to examine the presence in the field of hybrid colonies in sympatric areas of Taiwan and Florida. Other biological characteristics of C. formosanus × C. gestroi hybrids being studied include temperature tolerance and preference, colony growth rate, wood-consumption rate, and reproductive fertility. This current research aims to determine the potential establishment of a hybrid termite population in south Florida and Taiwan. It investigates the risk of introgressive hybridization in field populations, with an emphasis on its potential ecological, evolutionary, and economic consequences.
Highlights
Of the >3000 termites species recognized globally, 80 are known to cause serious damage [1], and the genus Coptotermes contains the largest number (18 spp.) among these serious pest species [2].A recent study estimated that there are approximately 25 valid Coptotermes species in the world and most of them are pest in their native and introduced areas [3]
C. gestroi is found throughout the tropics, and it was estimated that the two allopatric species evolved separately for 15–20 million years [7]
Land-based C. gestroi infestations have been found in more locations from the lower Florida late February to early June, while C. formosanus swarmed from mid-March to mid-June
Summary
Of the >3000 termites species recognized globally, 80 are known to cause serious damage [1], and the genus Coptotermes contains the largest number (18 spp.) among these serious pest species [2]. A recent study estimated that there are approximately 25 valid Coptotermes species in the world and most of them are pest in their native and introduced areas [3]. The expansion of the modern distribution range of these two species results from their association with human activity [5,6,7] which makes them two of the most important termite pests in the world that account for much of the $32 billion annual economic impact caused by subterranean termites [2]. C. gestroi expanded its range and has increasingly been collected from the subtropics, making it sympatric to C. formosanus in three areas, Taiwan, Hawaii, and Florida [8]
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