Comparative genetic study of the colony structure and colony spatial distribution between the higher termite Amitermes parvulus and the lower, subterranean termite Reticulitermes flavipes in an urban environment

Authors: Shults, Phillip; EYER, PIERRE-ANDRE - Texas A&M University; MORAN, MEGAN - Texas A&M University; RICHARDSON, STEVEN - Texas A&M University; LIU, KUAN-LING KELLY - Texas A&M University; BLUMENFELD, ALEXANDER - Texas A&M University; DAVIS, ROBERT - Basf Corporation; VARGO, EDWARD - Texas A&M University

Submitted to: Insectes Sociaux
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/18/2023
Publication Date: 5/17/2023
Citation: Shults, P.T., Eyer, P., Moran, M., Richardson, S., Liu, K., Blumenfeld, A., Davis, R., Vargo, E. 2023. Comparative genetic study of the colony structure and colony spatial distribution between the higher termite Amitermes parvulus and the lower, subterranean termite Reticulitermes flavipes in an urban environment. Insectes Sociaux. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00040-023-00919-2.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00040-023-00919-2

Interpretive Summary: Termites are notoriously hard to study being that they spend the majority of their lives underground. Unlike ants, they rarely build mounts making it difficult to distinguish between colonies. This becomes incredibly important when treating structures for termite infestations as removing a satellite nest without eliminating the entire colony can led to reinfestations. The major pest species of termites are well studied, but species that are only occasional invaders of human structures lack the same level of understanding. Here we developed molecular markers to aid in the study of a desert termite, Amitermes parvulus. We used these novel markers to investigate the spatial distribution of A. parvulus colonies within an area, as well as, their interactions with other termite species. We also found that colonies of A. parvulus will often merge together and are rarely headed by the original reproductive pair (the king and queen). Overall, these results expand our knowledge of termite breeding systems and highlights traits associated with how these two species are able to coexist in an urban environment.

Technical Abstract: In insects, ecological competition has often resulted in phenotypic changes and modifications to foraging areas. In termites - and social insects as a whole - colonies cannot easily escape competition through relocating colonies. In these species, the outcomes of inter and intra-specific competition are influenced by different life history traits, such as colony size, breeding system (number and types of reproductives), food preference, tunneling patterns, nest site selection, and antagonism between colonies. Here, we investigated variation in breeding system and spatial distribution among colonies of a higher termite Amitermes parvulus and a subterranean termite Reticulitermes flavipes within an urban landscape. We first developed microsatellite markers as a tool to study these life history traits in A. parvulus. Second, we assessed competitive exclusion or tolerance of A. parvulus and R. flavipes colonies by investigating their fine-scale distribution using monitoring stations on a grid site, and their large-scale distribution across an urban landscape. Third, we investigated the breeding system of A. parvulus colonies. We showed that the numerous colonies of R. flavipes inhabiting a restricted area contrast with the few, but spatially expansive colonies of A. parvulus, suggesting these species face different degrees of intra-specific competition. We showed that colonies of A. parvulus frequently merged together, and all of them were headed by inbred neotenic reproductives, two characteristics rarely observed in higher termites. Overall, our study revealed drastic differences in colony structure, breeding systems and foraging ranges between the two species. These differences may reflect differences in food preference and food availability between the two species allowing their co-existence within the same urban environment.