The ability to taste thiourea, phenylthiocarbamide and sodium benzoate is conferred by a dominant allele at each of these loci in humans. Test papers treated with these chemicals may taste bitter, sweet or salty depending on the chemical and the genetic makeup of the taster. The three loci are independent of one another and the taster may detect one or more of the chemicals. Homozygous recessive individuals are nontasters. Reticulitermes spp. termites were presented with genetic test papers treated with each of these chemicals along with untreated control paper in choice tests. Termites ate all the papers except those treated with sodium benzoate.
Species 1: Isoptera Rhinotermitidae Reticulitermes flavipes (eastern subterranean termite)
Keywords: thiourea, phenylthiocarbamide
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