Colony Populations and Biomass in Nests of the Amazonian Forest Termite Anoplotermes banksi Emerson (Isoptera: Termitidae)

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By this author: Martius C. ;&nbsp; d&#039;Arc Ribeiro J.

Authors: Martius C.; d'Arc Ribeiro J.

Source: Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment, Volume 31, Number 2, June 1996 , pp. 82-86(5)

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Abstract:

The arboreal nests of the termite Anoplotermes banksi are abundant in Central Amazonian primary rain forests. Colony size of 7 nests (weight 92–6891 g) varied between 2,593 and 39,256 individuals/nest (1.5 – 22.1 g termites/nest). Average body fresh weight was 0.9 mg for workers and 2.1 mg for alates. Queens weighed 10–30 mg. No relationship between nest weight and maturity was detected, as the ratio of workers to larvae was 1:1, independent of nest size, and alates were found in nests weighing less than 200 g. Nests of A. banksi (12–18 ha -1 ) accounted for 12–15% of the nest density of all Isopteran species, but the calculated fresh weight of the termites of this species (15–23 mg/m 2 ) represented only 0.2–0.4% of the total termite biomass in the study area.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1076/snfe.31.2.82.13328

Publication date: 1996-06-01