Diferenciação de castas em Inquilinitermes microcerus (Isoptera termitidae).

Abstract

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.