Gazai Vinícius, Bailez Omar, Viana-Bailez Ana Maria
1 Department of Entomology and Phytopathology, Sector of Semiochemicals, North Fluminense State University, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro 28013-602, Brazil.
Zoolog Sci. 2014 Jan;31(1):1-5. doi: 10.2108/zsj.31.1.
In this study, we investigated the mechanisms used by the arboreal termite Nasutitermes corniger (Motschulsky, 1855) to follow trails from the nest to sources of food. A plate containing one of seven trail types was used to connect an artificial nest of N. corniger with an artificial foraging arena. The trail types were: termite trail; paraffined termite trail; trail made of paraffin; rectal fluid extract trail; sternal gland extract trail; feces extract trail; and solvent trail (control). In each test, the time was recorded from the start of the test until the occurrence of trail following, at which point the number of termites that followed the trail for least 5 cm in the first 3 min of observation was recorded. The delay for termites initiating trail following along the termite trail was lower (0.55 ± 0.16 min) than in the trails of sternal gland extract (1.05 ± 0.08 min) and trails of termite feces extract (1.57 ± 0.21 min) (F(2), (48) = 22.59, P < 0.001). The number of termites that followed the termite trail was greater (207.3 ± 17.3) than the number that followed the trail of termite feces extract (102.5 ± 9.4) or sternal gland extract (36, 9 ± 1.6) (F(2), (48) = 174.34, P < 0.001). Therefore, feces on the trail may play an important role alongside sternal gland pheromones in increasing the persistence of the trail.
在本研究中，我们调查了树栖白蚁角鼻白蚁（Nasutitermes corniger，莫氏角鼻白蚁，1855年）从巢穴追踪到食物源所使用的机制。用一个装有七种踪迹类型之一的盘子将角鼻白蚁的人工巢穴与人工觅食区域连接起来。踪迹类型有：白蚁踪迹；涂有石蜡的白蚁踪迹；石蜡制成的踪迹；直肠液提取物踪迹；腹板腺提取物踪迹；粪便提取物踪迹；以及溶剂踪迹（对照）。在每次测试中，记录从测试开始到出现追踪踪迹的时间，此时记录在观察的前3分钟内至少沿着踪迹追踪5厘米的白蚁数量。沿着白蚁踪迹开始追踪的白蚁的延迟时间（0.55±0.16分钟）低于腹板腺提取物踪迹（1.05±0.08分钟）和白蚁粪便提取物踪迹（1.57±0.21分钟）（F(2),(48)=22.59，P<0.001）。沿着白蚁踪迹追踪的白蚁数量（207.3±17.3）多于沿着白蚁粪便提取物踪迹（102.5±9.4）或腹板腺提取物踪迹（36.9±1.6）追踪的白蚁数量（F(2),(48)=174.34，P<0.001）。因此，踪迹上粪便可能与腹板腺信息素一起，在增加踪迹的持久性方面发挥重要作用。
