The fungus-growing termites (subfamily Macrotermitinae of Termitidae) are a monophyletic group of termites that are characterized by being in a close symbiotic relationship (obligate to both parties) with a Basidiomycete (white rot) fungus. The relationship arose once only and was so successful that it resulted in the evolution of many new genera and species of termites, from the very small (Microtermes, Synacanthotermes) to the very large (Macrotermes).
Conversely, the fungus consists of a single genus, Termitomyces, with a very small number of recognized species. Termitomyces is a cultivar, entirely dependent on its termite partners for its survival.
The relationship is thought to have arisen in African rain forest, where the Termitomyces ancestors are supposed to have been decomposers of moist litter on the forest floor [1]. The ancestors of the fungus-growing termites may have collected litter from the soil surface and stored it in passages or chambers underground before eating...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Aanen, D. K., & Eggleton, P. (2005). Fungus-growing termites originated in African Rain Forest. Current Biology, 15, 851–855.
Aanen, D. K., Eggleton, P., Rouland-Lefevre, C., & Boomsma, J. J. (2002). The evolution of fungus-growing termites and their mutualistic fungal symbionts. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science of the United States of America, 99(23), 14887–14892.
Collins, N. M. (1979). The nests of Macrotermes bellicosus (Smeathman) from Mokwas, Nigeria. Insectes Sociaux, 26, 240–246.
Darlington, J. P. E. C. (1984). A method for sampling the populations of large termite nests. Annals of Applied Biology, 104, 427–436.
Darlington, J. P. E. C. (1984). Two types of mound built by the termite Macrotermes subhyalinus in Kenya. Insect Science and Its Application, 5, 481–492.
Darlington, J. P. E. C. (1985). The structure of mature mounds of the termite Macrotermes michaelseni in Kenya. Insect Science and Its Application, 6, 149–156.
Darlington, J. P. E. C. (1997). Comparison of nest structure and caste parameters of sympatric species of Odontotermes (Termitidae, Macrotermitinae) in Kenya. Insectes Sociaux, 44, 390–408.
Darlington, J. P. E. C. (2005). Termite nest structure and impact on the soil at the Radar Site, Embakasi, Kenya (Isoptera: Termitidae). Sociobiology, 45, 521–542.
Darlington, J. P. E. C., Zimmerman, P. R., Greenberg, J., Westberg, C., & Bakwin, P. (1997). Production of metabolic gases by nests of the termite Macrotermes jeanneli in Kenya. Journal of Tropical Ecology, 13, 491–510.
Darlington, J. P. E. C., Cook, C. E., Benson, R. B., & Walker, G. (2008). Resolving relationships in some African fungus-growing termites (Termitidae, Macrotermitinae) using molecular phylogeny, morphology, and field parameters. Insectes Sociaux, 55, 256–265.
Kambhampati, S., & Eggleton, P. (2000). Taxonomy and phylogeny of termites. 2000 Chapter 1:1–15 text + appendices: 16–23. In T. Abe, D. E. Bignell, & M. Higashi (Eds.), Termites: Evolution, sociality, symbiosis, ecology. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers. 466 pp.
Korb, J., & Linsenmair, E. (2000). Thermoregulation of termite mounds: What role does ambient temperature and metabolism of the colony play? Insectes Sociaux, 47, 357–363.
Moe, S. R., Mobaek, R., & Narmo, A. K. (2009). Mound building termites contribute to savanna vegetation heterogeneity. Plant Ecology, 202, 31–40.
Nobre, T., Rouland-Lefevre, C., & Aanen, D. K. (2011). Comparative biology of fungus cultivation in termites and ants. Chapter 8. In D. E. Bignell et al. (Eds.), Biology of termites: A modern synthesis (pp. 193–210). Dordrecht: Springer Science & Business Media B.V.
Stoen, O.-G., Okullo, P., Eid, T., & Moe, S. R. (2013). Termites facilitate and ungulates limit savanna tree regeneration. Oecologia, 172, 1085–1093.
Traniello, J. F. A., & Leuthold, R. H. (2000). Behaviour and ecology of foraging termites. In T. Abe, D. E. Bignell, & M. Higashi (Eds.), Termites: Evolution, sociality, symbiosis, ecology. 466 pp (pp. 141–168). Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
Darlington, J.P.E.C. (2021). Fungus-Growing Termites (Macrotermitinae). In: Starr, C.K. (eds) Encyclopedia of Social Insects. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28102-1_47
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28102-1_47
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-28101-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-28102-1
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences