Invertebrate predation on termites of the African Savanna

Summary

Predation by invertebrates was observed on 11 species of termites, primarilyOdontotermes latericius exposed while building their chimneys. Ants were the most frequent predators, usuallyPheidole eegacephala andMegaponera fœtens. Staphylinids of the genusZyras sometimes were abundant on chimneys ofO. latericius and preyed on wandering workers. Other predators were beetles, hemipterans, phasmids, spiders, and turberllarians. Both soldiers and workers are anatomically equipped to defend themselves against small invertebrate predators, but both largely lack the behavioral repertoire to do so and defense is ineffective. The value of the soldier caste to the colony is not clear.