SOCIAL LIFE IN

TERMITES
CLASS – B.Sc. PART – I(HONS.)
PAPER – I

BY:-
KUNDAN PATEL
GUEST FACULTY
DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY
B.N. COLLEGE, PATNA
 INTRODUCTION
Social behavior is an instinct in a large variety of
animals. Although it has been deeply studied an
discussed in higher animals, it has also been
seen in some lower groups. Some insects like
honey bees and termites have shown an
extraordinary organization of various castes and
an elaborate form of division of labour. Their
colonies and the way their members coordinate
with each other is very interesting to study.
Sometimes humans and other animals face
enmity with these insects but understanding
their organizational structure and behavioral
pattern certainly help us to better accommodate
with them.
CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL INSECTS
There are certain characteristics of social insects which
can be summarized as follows:-
1. Reproductive division of labour – usually the queen
reproduces almost exclusively while other members
of the colony specialize on different tasks
2. Cooperative brood care – social insects tend to
brood together indiscriminately of whose offsprings
are these
3. Castes – in the ants and termites, there are castes
that carry out different functions necessary for the
survival of the colony. Depending on the size or age
of the insects, they carry different functions.
4. Common nest site - All the types of members share
a common nest site
DEGREES OF SOCIALITY IN INSECTS
1. Subsocial Insects – these provide limited parental
care to their offsprings. E.g. – Giant water bugs
2. Communal Insects – they share a nest site with
others of the same generation, usually in a particular
stage of life cycle. E.g. – eastern tent caterpillars
3. Quasi-social Insects – they exhibit cooperative care
of their young. A single generation shares a common
nest. E.g. – certain orchard bees
4. Semi-social Insects – they share offspring-rearing
duties with other individuals of the same
generation, in a common nest. E.g. – paper wasps
5. Solitary Insects – they do not share nests and there
is no parental care of offsprings.
SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF TERMITES
1. Fertile castes:-
A. Macropterous or long-winged forms:-
 Normal winged individuals forming the true
kings and queens
 The body is pigmented yellow, brown or black
 Wings are two pairs, well developed, and
longer than the body
 They are ultimately discarded and only their
truncated bases remain
 The compound eyes are large and widely
separated. Paired ocelli are usually present
 They live in royal chambers
SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF TERMITES
B. Brachypterous or short-winged forms:-
 Sometimes called supplementary or substantiate or neotenic kings
and queens
 Body is less pigmented
 The two pairs of wings are short, vestigial and pad-like
 The compound eyes are small and the ocelli may be present
C. Apterous or winged forms:-
 These are worker-like substitute kings and queens which occur in the
more primitive species
 The body is without pigmentation
 No traces of wings
 The compound eyes re vestigial, and ocelli are absent
 The brain and the reproductive organs are less developed
SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF TERMITES
2. Sterile castes:-
 These are wingless forms with rudimentary reproductive
organs
A. Workers:-
 More numerous than any other caste
 Perform all the duties of the colony except reproduction
 They care for eggs and young, feed attend the queen, collect
food, cultivate fungus in special chamber, excavate tunnel and
gullies, construct nests and perform other duties
 Body has little or no pigmentation
 The eyes are usually absent or rarely well developed
 They are commonly dimorphic, but rarely trimorphic
comprising small, intermediate and large individuals
SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF TERMITES
B. Soldiers:-
 The most highly specialized
 Concerned with the defence of the colony
against marauders
 They are more or less pigmented and large-
headed individuals with projecting and
prominent mandibles
 Have small brain and vestigial or no
compound eyes
 In certain species here may be 3 grades of
soldiers – small, medium-sized and large
SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF TERMITES
C. Nasutes:-
 In some higher genera(Eutermes) the mandibulate
soldiers are replaced by peculiar snouted forms called
the nasutes, proboscideans or the “nosy ones”
 They are relatively shorter individuals with vestigial
mandibles
 Their head is prolonged into a rostrum, bearing the
opening of a large frontal gland at its apex. The sticky
secretion of the gland is inflicted upon their enemies in
warfare and is used to dissolve hard substances, like
concrete which are in the way of the workers when
building
 They may be dimorphic or trimorphic according to the
species
SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF TERMITES
 CONCLUSION
We can conclude that social life is well
established in termites. Their structure
and behaviour complement each other.
Division of labour is well marked.
Although they are smaller in size, their
coordination and behaviour is much
advanced in terms of social attributes.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY & REFERENCES
1. Inveretbrate Zoology – E.L. Jordan & Dr.
P.S. Verma
2. Invertebrates – R.L. Kotpal
3. Invertebrates – Janet Moore
4. Animal behavior – John Alcock
Thank you