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[Objectives] To study the reproductive behaviors and the effect of different pairing modes on the developmental status of incipient colonies’ of Odontotermes fomosanus( Shiraki). [Methods]We observed the reproductive behaviors of male alates,female alates and mated alates respectively. Male and female alates had 9 pairing modes and founded 170 incipient colonies under laboratory conditions. The effect of pairing mode on incipient colonies’ developmental status was analyzed. [Results]Two peaking hours of mating activity within the daily circadian rhythm of alate activity appeared from 09: 00 to 10: 00,and from 21: 00 to 22: 00,respectively. Courtship behavior before mating consisted of touching with antennae,connecting into a ring( head-to-end),and licking. The reproductive behavior( calling,pairing,tandem,mating and oviposition) of nestmate pairs was different to that of non-nestmate pairs. The pairing time of non-nestmate pairs was significantly longer than that of alates paired with siblings( P < 0. 05). The non-swarming alates could mate with swarming or non-swarming alates and lay fertile eggs which hatched successfully. However,the survival rate of colonies founded by non-swarming alates was very low. The death rate of incipient colonies was in the range of 0. 61%- 0. 99% after three months,while the death rate of the colonies founded by swarming alates was in the range of 0. 22%- 0. 58%. Females that had been experimentally prevented from mating could lay eggs,but the eggs did not hatch. [Conclusion] There are two distinct hourly peaks of mating activity within each 24 hour period. Incipient colonies founded by outbreeding have the highest probability of survival.
[Objectives] To study the reproductive behaviors and the effect of different pairing modes on the developmental status of incipient colonies’ of Odontotermes fomosanus (Shiraki). [Methods] We observed the reproductive behaviors of male alates, female alates and mated alates respectively. Male and female alates had 9 pairing modes and founded 170 incipient colonies under laboratory conditions. The effect of pairing mode on incipient colonies’ developmental status was analyzed. [Results] Two peaking hours of mating activity within the daily circadian rhythm of alate activity occurred from 09 : 00 to 10: 00, and from 21: 00 to 22: 00, respectively. Courtship behavior before mating consisted of touching with antennae, connecting into a ring (head-to-end), and licking. The reproductive behavior (calling, pairing, tandem, mating and oviposition) of nestmate pairs was different to that of non-nestmate pairs. The pairing time of non-nestmate pairs was significantly longer than that of alates paired with siblings (P <0.05). The non-swarming alates could mate with swarming or non-swarming alates and lay fertile eggs which hatched successfully. However, the survival rate of colonies founded by non-swarming alates was very low. The death rate of incipient colonies was in the range of 0. 61% - 0. 99% after three months, while the death rate of the colonies founded by swarming alates was in the range of 0. 22% - 0. 58%. Females that had been experimentally prevented from mating could lay eggs, but the eggs did not hatch. [Conclusion] There are two distinct hourly peaks of mating activity within each 24 hour period. Incipient colonies founded by outbreeding have the highest probability of survival.