Abstract
Caste compositions and sex ratios in field colonies of the subterranean termite Reticulitermes speratus were investigated in Ibaraki, Japan. The average worker ratio was 0.858 and similar to that found in R. flavipes. The soldier and nymph ratios were variable among nests. The sex ratio of workers within a colony was nearly equal (female rate = 0.503), but significantly female biased in soldiers (0.596) and nymphs (0.569). The variations of sex ratios for each caste among nests were the largest in nymphs. Highly female-biased nymph sex ratios observed in two nests possibly reflect the underlying genetic caste determination mechanism.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 379-386 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Sociobiology |
| Volume | 55 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Publication status | Published - 2010 Apr 14 |
| Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Insect Science