Bases da coabitação entre besouros Staphylinidae e cupins Termitidae
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Data
2016-03-31
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Universidade Federal de Viçosa
Resumo
Os cupins são insetos eussociais cujos ninhos são frequentemente invadidos por outros animais conhecidos como termitófilos. Alguns termitófilos são tão especializados que só são encontrados em cupinzeiros. No entanto, os motivos para tal especialização permanecem desconhecidos. Tanto a estrutura física do cupinzeiro quanto os cupins podem representar recursos valiosos para os organisrnos capazes de superar as barreiras físicas e biológicas impostas por este ambiente. Dentre as características de invertebrados altamente especializados a vida no cupinzeiro, a fisogastria é apontada como uma das principais, permitindo ao termitófilo confundir seu hospedeiro através de mimetismo morfológico. Tais características estão presentes em coleópteros da família Staphylinidae e dípteros da família Phoridae. Os termitófilos fisogástricos possuem modificações morfológicas que lhes permitem serem alimentados pelos cupins. Tal característica levou a idéia de que a obrigatoriedade desses termitófilos está atrelada a uma dependência nutricional para com seu hospedeiro. Entretanto, em algumas espécies de termitéfilos a fisogastria esta relacionada com a viviparidade, sugerindo o uso do cupinzeiro como local seguro para o período de gestação. Esta dissertação teve como objetivos: (i) discutir a cerca das características que permitem a coabitação de besouros Staphylinidae em ninhos de cupins e (ii) testar a hipótese de que termitófilos fisogástricos vivíparos dependem não apenas dos indivíduos das colonias de cupins hospedeiros, mas também da estrutura física do cupinzeiro. A coabitação destes termitófilos em ninhos de cupins é permitidapor adaptações defensivas tais como a forma limulóide, que os protege de ataques da colônia hospedeira, enquanto permite que explorem os recursos do cupinzeiro tais como os jardins de fungos ou detritos deixados pelos cupins, ou por adaptações que permitem a integração com a colônia hospedeira tais como a fisogastria,que são utiizadas por termitófilos que exploram diretamente os cupins. Para o teste da hipótese levantada acima, foram realizadas análises morfológicas o histológicas do sistema reprodutivo de um termitófilo fisogáistrico e vivíparo, em busca de singularidades que implicassem na necessidade de viver enclausurado. Nossos resultados apontam para a existência de gravidez prolongada nas fêmeas e a necessidade do contatos frequentes entre machos e fêmeas. Ambos fatores podem exigir a Vida em um ambiente enclausurado porque em tais ambientes há redução de riscos e aumento das taxas de encontro interindividual.
Termites are social insects whose nests are often invaded by other animals known as termitophiles. Some of which being so specialized that may be found only inside termitaria. The reasons for such a specialization remain largely unknown. Both the physical structure of the termitarium and the termites can be valuabe resources for organisms able to overcome the physical and biological barriers imposed by this environment. Among the features of invertebrates highly specialized to live in ter- mitaria, physogastry is pointed as one of the most typical, allowing the termitophile to confuse its host by morphological mimicry. Such features are presented by Cole- optera in Staphylinidae family and by Diptera in Phoridae family. The physogastric termitophiles have morphological modifications which allow them be fed by the ter- mites, which convey the idea that the obligatoriness of these termitophiles would be linked to nutritional dependency towards his host. In some termitOphiles the phy- sogastry is associated with viviparity, suggesting the use of termitarium as a shelter for pregancy times. This dissertation aims to: (i) discuss the features that allow the cohabitation of the Staphylinid beetles in termitaria and (ii) test the hypothesis that physogastric termitophiles could depend not only of the host termites, but also of the physical structure of the termitaria. The cohabitation of these beetles in ter- mite nests are allowed by defensive adaptations such as a limuloid form, that protect the termitOphiles from attacks by the host colony, while allowing the former to ex- ploit termitaria resources such as fungus gardens and debris, or adaptations such as physogastry that allow the integration with the host colony, allow termitophiles to directly exploit the individuals which, being fooled by mimicry, dispense normal nest- mate care (e.g., trophalaxis) to the invading beetle. To test the hypotheses above, morphological and histological analysis of the reproductive system of a physogastric and viviparous termitophile were performed, searching for singularities that imply in the need for living in sheltered environments. Our results point to the existence of prolonged pregnancy in females and the need for frequent contact between males and females. Both features may require life in a cloistered environment because in such environments there is reduced risk and the increase of the rates of interindividual meetings.
Termites are social insects whose nests are often invaded by other animals known as termitophiles. Some of which being so specialized that may be found only inside termitaria. The reasons for such a specialization remain largely unknown. Both the physical structure of the termitarium and the termites can be valuabe resources for organisms able to overcome the physical and biological barriers imposed by this environment. Among the features of invertebrates highly specialized to live in ter- mitaria, physogastry is pointed as one of the most typical, allowing the termitophile to confuse its host by morphological mimicry. Such features are presented by Cole- optera in Staphylinidae family and by Diptera in Phoridae family. The physogastric termitophiles have morphological modifications which allow them be fed by the ter- mites, which convey the idea that the obligatoriness of these termitophiles would be linked to nutritional dependency towards his host. In some termitOphiles the phy- sogastry is associated with viviparity, suggesting the use of termitarium as a shelter for pregancy times. This dissertation aims to: (i) discuss the features that allow the cohabitation of the Staphylinid beetles in termitaria and (ii) test the hypothesis that physogastric termitophiles could depend not only of the host termites, but also of the physical structure of the termitaria. The cohabitation of these beetles in ter- mite nests are allowed by defensive adaptations such as a limuloid form, that protect the termitOphiles from attacks by the host colony, while allowing the former to ex- ploit termitaria resources such as fungus gardens and debris, or adaptations such as physogastry that allow the integration with the host colony, allow termitophiles to directly exploit the individuals which, being fooled by mimicry, dispense normal nest- mate care (e.g., trophalaxis) to the invading beetle. To test the hypotheses above, morphological and histological analysis of the reproductive system of a physogastric and viviparous termitophile were performed, searching for singularities that imply in the need for living in sheltered environments. Our results point to the existence of prolonged pregnancy in females and the need for frequent contact between males and females. Both features may require life in a cloistered environment because in such environments there is reduced risk and the increase of the rates of interindividual meetings.
Descrição
Palavras-chave
Térmita, Besouro - Reprodução, Mimestimo
Citação
PISNO, Raul Marques. Bases da coabitação entre besouros Staphylinidae e cupins Termitidae. 2016. 23 f. Dissertação (Mestrado em Entomologia) - Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa. 2016.