« Previous Abstract"Structural and functional conservation and divergence among acyl-CoA desaturases of two noctuid species, the corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea, and the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni"    Next AbstractVolatile terpenes - mediators of plant-to-plant communication »

Naturwissenschaften

Title:		Pathogen alarm behavior in a termite: A new form of communication in social insects
Author(s):		Rosengaus RB; Jordan C; Lefebvre ML; Traniello JF;
Address:		"Biology Department, Boston University, 5 Cummington Street, Boston, MA 02215, USA"
Journal Title:		Naturwissenschaften
Year:		1999
Volume:		86
Issue:		11
Page Number:		544 - 548
DOI:		10.1007/s001140050672
ISSN/ISBN:		1432-1904 (Electronic) 0028-1042 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Dampwood termites, Zootermopsis angusticollis, show an alarm response after detecting the presence of spores of the pathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae. Termites in direct contact with a high concentration of spores (10(7) spores/ml) show a striking vibratory display which appears to convey information about the presence of pathogens to nearby unexposed nestmates through substrate vibration. Nestmates not directly in contact with spores that perceive the vibrational signal increase significantly their distance from the spore-exposed vibrating termites, apparently to escape from the source of infection. The fleeing response is not induced by the presence of the spores alone or by pheromones, and requires the perception of the vibrations propagated through the substrate. This 'pathogen alarm behavior' appears to be a previously unrecognized communication mechanism that allows termites to reduce disease risks within the nest"
Keywords:
Notes:		"PubMed-not-MEDLINERosengaus, RB Jordan, C Lefebvre, ML Traniello, JF eng Germany 1999/11/07 Naturwissenschaften. 1999 Nov; 86(11):544-8. doi: 10.1007/s001140050672"