Summary
Caste and age polyethism was investigated by way of newly developed sampling methods used in field colonies ofM. bellicosus. Major workers make up 70% of foraging populations, whereas minor workers are predominant in spontaneous construction (97%), emergency construction (78%) and attendance of the queen (85%). The only task correlated with a high rate of soldiers (17%) is emergency construction. The composition of fungus—growing and water—carrying populations differs only slightly from that of the population as a whole. Foraging and building populations consist exclusively and water carrying populations mainly of old workers. In fungus growing and queen attending populations both old and young workers are present.
Zusammenfassung
Der Kasten- und Alterspolyethismus wurde an Felkolonien vonM. bellicosus mit Hilfe von neu entwickelten Fangmethoden untersucht. Grosse Arbeiter herrschen vor in Foragierpopulationen (76%), während kleine Arbeiter beim spontanen Bauen (97%), beim Notbauen (78%) und bei der Pflege der Königin (85%) stark vertreten sind. Der Anteil von Soldaten ist nur in der Notbauerpopulation erhöht. Nur geringfügig von der Gesamtpopulation unterscheiden sich Populationen, die den Pilzgarten pflegen und solche, die Wasser tragen. Foragier und Baupopulationen bestehen ausschliesslich, Wasserträgerpopulationen hauptsächlich aus älteren Tiere. In Pilz- und Königinpflegepopulationen dagegen findet man sowohl junge als auch alte Tiere.
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Gerber, C., Badertscher, S. & Leuthold, R.H. Polyethism inMacrotermes bellicosus (Isoptera). Ins. Soc 35, 226–240 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02224056
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02224056