ABSTRACT Metarhizium anisopliae has been studied for over two decades because this naturally occurring fungus seems like the ideal termite control. Unfortunately, the success of Metarhizium in the lab has been difficult to match in field studies. Can termite sociobiology be the reason for the discrepancy?
To answer this question, groups of termites were videotaped in the presence of a vector exposed to Metarhizium. Two group sizes (2 and 5), two dish sizes (30 mm and 90 mm), two types of contamination (Metarhizium or plain talc at the same concentration), and two levels of fungal loading (7E7 and 7E4 spores/ml) were tested. Untreated vectors were also introduced as controls. All vectors were marked with Nile Blue A. Custom Java software was developed to assist in the frame-by-frame video analysis. The analysis is unique in that individual termite identities and interactions were tracked.
The results show that
* The fraction of time spent interacting was significantly higher for groups when the vector was infected with the pathogen than for the control or talc vectors.
* Termites do not avoid or interact less with a vector exposed to the fungus.
* Termites interact more when the vector has been exposed to 7E4 spores/ml compared to 7E7 spores/ml.
* Individual termites spend more time interacting in larger groups.
Since Metarhizium does not germinate in the termite gut, the increase in allogrooming with interaction rate may improve group survival.
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