1. Formosan Subterranean Termite Communication

2. Mechanical Sensory System:
Hair-like extensions on exoskeleton
The hairs enable termites to react to touch, pressure and vibration
Termites have hair-like extensions on their exoskeleton that are the main component of their mechanical sensory system.
These hairs enable termites to react to touch, pressure and vibration. Termite body hair is similar to hair on our bodies (i.e. when someone touches the hair on your arm, you can feel that someone is touching you).
The vibrational information they gather guide orientation, general movements, feeding and flight from enemies.
Soldiers exploit this sensory system by banging their heads against the colony walls, causing vibrations warning others about an impending threat.

3. Mechanical Sensory System: Hair-like extensions on exoskeleton
Termites have hair-like extensions on their exoskeleton that are the main component of their mechanical sensory system.
These hairs enable termites to react to touch, pressure and vibration. Termite body hair is similar to hair on our bodies (i.e. when someone touches the hair on your arm, you can feel that someone is touching you).
The vibrational information they gather guide orientation, general movements, feeding and flight from enemies.
Soldiers exploit this sensory system by banging their heads against the colony walls, causing vibrations warning others about an impending threat.
Soldiers utilize the mechanical sensory system by hitting their heads against the walls, producing vibrations warning others about possible danger

4. Chemical Sensory System:
Chemical Receptors
One area that chemical receptors can be found is on the antennae
Antennal segment of Schedorhinotermes lamanianus
Detect different pheromones (chemicals)
Physiology of Chemoreceptors in Termites Chemoreceptors located on termite antennae are the primary chemical processors. Many insects, termites included, release chemical signals called pheromones. Instead of “smelling” scent signals like us, termites detect and respond to actual chemicals that form a scent. Pheromones are species specific with little meaning to outsiders. Pheromones deliver various messages and are involved in behaviors such as feeding, mating, and defense. They are the main means of communication among termites. For instance, foraging workers will release trail pheromones from their abdomen to recruit other workers when a food source is located. As workers arrive at the scene the trail pheromone is intensified, allowing more workers to find the trail and food source regardless of the distance from the nest site. Another aid in chemical receptions is the many holes found on the exoskeleton that allow air and other odors to enter the termite body.
Communication implies that specific signals originating from conspecifics or from the environment (food) are specifically recognised by the recipients. In the blind termites, communication is based on chemical as well as on mechanical signals.
Chemoreceptors are located in sensilla and are mainly found on the antennae. Here several morphological types of sensilla and physiological types of sensory cells are found. The aim of this project is to identify, by electrophysiological and behavioural approaches, the antennal sensory cells which are specific to e.g. pheromones or chemical compounds originating from food. Such sensilla could be useful in monitoring wood susceptible or resistant to termite attack.
Holes found on the exoskeleton that allow air and other chemicals to enter the termite body

5. Grooming and Communicating
Grooming cleans the body of soil, fungus, bacteria, and parasites
Grooming stimulates the mechanical sensory system and chemical receptors
Grooming
Grooming is an important aspect of communication between termites.
This action cleans the body of soil, fungus, bacteria, and parasites and stimulates the mechanical and chemical receptors.
It is thought that grooming sometimes activates feeding behavior or trophallaxis, which leads to the exchange of liquid food and or chemical secretions (such as pheromones) released by various caste members. The exchange of pheromones within the colony can determine such aspects of how many workers or soldiers are need to be produced and the suppression or initiation of secondary reproductives.
Grooming activates feeding behavior, which leads to the exchange of liquid food and or chemicals released by various caste members

6. Termite Feeding and the Protozoa+ =

7. Symbiotic Relationship
Association of two dissimilar organisms in a beneficial relationship
Spirotrichonympha leidyi
Koidzumi
Holomastigotoides hartmanni
Pseudotrichonympha grassii
Protozoa
(Kingdom Protista)
Formosan Subterranean
Termites
(Kingdom Animalia) +

8. The Benefits of the Symbiotic Relationship
The Protozoan receives:
A home (shelter) by living in the termite gut.
Cellulose (food) from wood that the termite eats
The cellulose is digested and acetate, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and methane are produced and released.
The Termites receives/absorbs:
Acetate produced by the Protozoa.
The termites use the acetate as
their energy source to carry out daily bodily
functions.

9. The Transfer of Protozoa in a NEW colony
The queen and the king are responsible for feeding and passing on the protozoa to the offspring in the new colony.

10. The Transfer of Protozoa in an OLDER Colony
The workers are responsible for feeding and transferring the protozoa in an older colony.
Stomadeal Feeding
Passing partially digested food with the mouth to another termite.
Proctodeal Feeding
Receiving food from the anus.

11. External Anatomy of a Termite Identification of Body Sections
head
thorax
abdomen
1. Head = The eyes, antennae, and mouthparts are on the head.
2. Thorax = The 3 pairs of legs are attached to the thorax.
3. Abdomen = The abdomen holds all reproductive organs.

12. Internal Anatomy of a Termite How wood is digested
1. Pieces of wood enters the mouth.
2. Wood is ground in the crop.
3. Wood particles enters the hind gut and are consumed by the protozoans, who release acetate, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and methane.
4. Acetate release by protozoa is absorbed by the termite
5. Digested material passed out of the anus to feed others or build carton

13. Consumers/Hetertrophs
Energy Source
Omnivore
Carnivore
SOIL BACTERIA
(decomposers)
Carnivore
Producers
Herbivore
Consumers/Hetertrophs
Termites are essential organisms in the environment. They are the largest group of insects adapted to feed on wood and dry plant matter. Termites perform a very important ecological function by decomposing (breaking down) cellulose (main component in plant cell walls) materials in natural forest settings. Without decomposers, such as termites, dead plant materials would pile up and it would take much longer for needed nutrients to be recycled back into the soil for use by other living plants. Overtime, this would result in infertile soil unable to support a healthy plant community, and a healthy plant community is the backbone of a diverse forest ecosystem. Termites are also an important food source for many amphibians, reptiles and birds, who help to keep the termite population in control. Predators attack the termites during swarming when they are exposed and easy to catch. In some parts of the world they are the main food source for specialized mammals that use modified mouths to burrow into termite colonies.
Producer