RODRIGUES, L. S.; http://lattes.cnpq.br/1036123535849127; RODRIGUES, Laisa da Silva.
Resumo:
In the social insects, each of them carries out specific activities in the colony, being its
morphology specialized for a function. In this study, the development of caste in Inquilinitermes
microcerus was investigated, from nests of the species Constrictotermes cyphergaster collected in
the caatinga area, in the state of Paraíba. Eleven measures were taken to analyze morphometrics in
different parts of the body of larvae, workers, pre-soldiers, soldiers, nymphs and alates, and
principal component analyses (PCA) were performed based on these parameters. Inquilinitermes
microcerus presented in the nymphal line the pattern of development already widely described for
the species of Termitidae, with five nymphal instars followed by alates; And an aptera line
including two larval stages followed by workers, pre-soldiers and soldiers. Both workers and
soldiers had only one instar each, consisted of male and female individuals, without sexual
dimorphism. Inquilinitermes microcerus presented a pattern of caste differentiation similar to
those reported for the Termitinae species, and the same as the Inquilinitermes fur.