Extreme mandible alteration and cephalic phragmosis in a drywood termite soldier (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae: Cryptotermes) from Jamaica

The soldier caste of a new Cryptotermes species from Jamaica, while lacking forward-projecting mandibles, exhibits extreme head capsule phragmosis. We hypothesize that this species relies solely on mechanical defense by phragmosis, a unique trait among termite soldiers, and that these features const...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Florida entomologist 1998-06, Vol.81 (2), p.238-240
Main Authors: Scheffrahn, R.H. (University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Fort Lauderdale, FL.), Krecek, J, Su, N.Y, Roisin, Y, Chase, J.A, Mangold, J.R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological taxonomies
BONES
CABEZA
CASTE
CRYPTOTERMES
DEFENCE MECHANISMS
Drywood termites
ESPECE NOUVELLE
ESPECIES NUEVAS
ESTRUCTURA SOCIAL
Genera
HEAD
HUESOS
INSECT MANDIBLE
JAMAICA
JAMAIQUE
Kalotermitidae
Mandible
MECANISME DE DEFENSE
MECANISMOS DE DEFENSA
Military defense
MORPHOLOGY
NEW SPECIES
PHRAGMOTIC DEFENSE
Predators
Scientific Notes
Social insects
SOCIAL STRUCTURE
SOLDIER CASTE
STRUCTURE SOCIALE
Termites
TETE
Worker insects
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Description
Summary:The soldier caste of a new Cryptotermes species from Jamaica, while lacking forward-projecting mandibles, exhibits extreme head capsule phragmosis. We hypothesize that this species relies solely on mechanical defense by phragmosis, a unique trait among termite soldiers, and that these features constitute an analogy to the derived loss of functional mandibles in higher taxa that have evolved chemical defenses.
ISSN:0015-4040
1938-5102
DOI:10.2307/3496093