| Globitermes sulphureus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| AGlobitermes sulphureus nest under attack byOecophylla smaragdina weaver ants. | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Blattodea |
| Infraorder: | Isoptera |
| Family: | Termitidae |
| Genus: | Globitermes |
| Species: | G. sulphureus |
| Binomial name | |
| Globitermes sulphureus | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Globitermes sulphureus is a species oftermite that is very common in central and southernVietnam[2] and also present in other areas ofSouth East Asia, includingCambodia,Thailand, andPeninsular Malaysia.[1][3][4] They live in nests made of earth that can be up to 1.5 m tall and can contain tens of thousands of individuals. Between five and 10 per cent of the population are soldier termites which can be recognised by their yellowabdomen and two large, curved mandibles. The termites useautothysis as adefense mechanism.[2]
When the nest is damaged, the soldier termites defend the nest and workers rapidly repair any damage to the nest walls. The soldiers stand on alert on their legs and scan the area with their antennae. If the nest is attacked byants, for exampleOecophylla smaragdina, the workers immediately escape by retreating into the nest, while the soldiers remain outside to defend the nest. They will first attempt to catch and pierce the attackers with their large mandibles. If this does not deter the attackers, some soldiers secrete a yellow liquid from a large gland that occupies a large proportion of their body. The liquid is forced out of the gland by contractions of the mandibular muscles which compress the walls of the gland. This liquid rapidly hardens on contact with air, producing a sticky substance that traps ants and other termites.[2] The secretion also contains apheromone which attracts more soldiers to fight the attackers. In some cases, the contractions are so violent that the termites rupture themselves. This form of suicidalaltruism is known asautothysis.[2]
G. sulphureus is able tofix nitrogen. An experiment inThailand found that they fix around 250 grams of nitrogen perhectare per year. Although this contribution is only between 7% and 22% of the total nitrogen inputs in theecosystem it is thought to be relatively important as termites add it to dead wood, thereby accelerating itsdecomposition.[3]
G. sulphureus forages areas of up to 62m2 and ventures up to 16m away from its nest.[5]
The species is a major pest in areas it inhabits as it attacks wooden structures[2] and can damagecoconut andoil palm plantations.[5] Experiments have shown that it can be controlled using the insecticideimidacloprid.[4]
