Distribution of Termitomyces and other fungi in the nests and major workers of several Nigerian macrotermitinae

• Published in: Soil biology & biochemistry 1987, Vol.19 (3), p.335-341
• Main Author: Thomas, Rebecca J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Autoecology; Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; geographical distribution; Macrotermes; Macrotermes bellicosus; Macrotermitinae; Protozoa. Invertebrata; soil fungi; symbiosis; termite mounds; Termitidae; Termitomyces
• ISSN: 0038-0717; 1879-3428
• DOI: 10.1016/0038-0717(87)90019-8

The distribution of the symbiotic fungus Termiiomyces Heim and other fungi in the nests and major workers of the termites Macrotermes subhyalinus (Rambur), Microtermes grassei Ghidini, Microtermes lepidus Sjöstedt, Microtermes subhyalinus Silvestri, Microtermes sp. nov., Odontotermes smeathmani (Fuller) and Ancistrotermes cavithorax (Sjöstedt) was investigated. The isolation of Termiiomyces from forager faecal pellets indicated that Microtermes subhyalinus and Ancistrotermes incorporated Termitomyces into the foraged food material within the gut. Macrotermes subhyalinus had a different strategy for incorporating Termitomyces into the food material, as Termitomyces was not found in forager gut. Termitomyces was found in the digestive tract of nurse workers of all species examined. Other fungi found were mostly common soil fungi, which showed a reduction in number in Macrotermes subhyalinus from nest structure, to fresh comb, to old comb. The similarity of the fungal flora in soil, termites and fungus combs suggests that the fungi, other than Termitomyces and Xylaria are brought into the nest as contaminants by the termites.