Darwin termite
Darwin termites, scientifically known as Mastotermes darwiniensis, are considered the most primitive living termites and share characteristics with cockroaches. These small, white, blind insects are native to Northern Australia, particularly around Darwin. Unlike many other termite species that construct large nests, Darwin termites create discreet colonies within the stumps of dead trees, with each colony possibly housing up to seven million individuals. Their social structure is hierarchical, with a strict caste system consisting of workers, soldiers, and reproductives, all of which have specific roles within the colony.
The reproductive caste includes a single queen and her king, who are responsible for laying eggs and sustaining the colony's population. The queen, which can grow up to 5 1/2 inches long, may lay as many as 30,000 eggs daily in sticky rows reminiscent of cockroach egg pouches. Worker termites maintain the nest, care for the young, and seek out food, while soldier termites protect the colony from predators. Notably, Darwin termites do not lay their eggs individually, which further emphasizes their evolutionary link to cockroaches. These intriguing insects have a lifespan exceeding ten years for both the king and queen, highlighting their resilience and complex social organization.
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Darwin termite
The lone species of Darwin termites, Mastotermes darwiniensis, are the most primitive living termites. They even have some characteristics which show their direct relation to cockroaches.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Blattodea
Family: Mastotermitidae
Genus: Mastotermes
Species: Darwiniensis
Darwin termites, also called the giant northern termites, are only found in Northern Australia near Darwin. These tiny creatures build nests in the stumps of dead trees. Unlike some termites that build large, elaborate nest structures, Darwin termites build tunnels and chambers in the cracks and crevices of tree stumps. They are discreet nests, but each nest, or colony, may house as many as seven million termites. Darwin termites are small, white, blind insects. Although their body shapes are similar to other termites, their wings and egg-laying habits are similar to cockroaches.
Like other termites, Darwin termites follow a strict caste system. A caste system is a social structure in which each individual fits into a certain position in life. In termite colonies, termites are born into different castes and do different jobs. Some termites are in the worker caste, while others are in the reproductive caste. Each termite spends its life in just one caste.
Only reproductive termites have fully developed wing structures that reach 2 inches (50 millimeters). Queen Darwin termites have wings and may grow to be 5 1/2 inches (14 centimeters) long. Queen Darwin termites spend their lives either pregnant or in the process of laying eggs. Each colony of Darwin termites has only one queen. The queen is groomed and cared for by many worker termites and her king. They help her lay her eggs and raise the young.
A queen and king Darwin termite lead each colony. They are the only members of the colony that reproduce. Other termites might be worker termites at 1/3 to 1/2 inches (10 to 11 1/2 millimeters) long or soldiers at 2/5 to 1/2 inches (11 to 13 millimeters) long. Worker termites help maintain the nest and care for the young, they also search for good wood to eat. Reproductives, or termites of the reproductive caste, leave the main colony and form colonies of their own, and soldier termites protect the colony from predators, such as centipedes, spiders, and army ants. Large mammals like anteaters and aardvarks also attack termite nests by pushing their noses through the nest walls to reach the insects.
As the only reproductive member of the colony, the queen determines the size of her colony and the caste of its members. When producing eggs, the queen also produces special chemicals. The workers swallow these chemicals as they groom the queen and pass the chemicals on to young termites during feeding. Since the queen controls how much of each chemical is produced, she controls how many workers, reproductives, and soldiers are added to her colony with each new set of young.
A single queen Darwin termite may produce up to 30,000 eggs in a day. Unlike more advanced species of termites, Darwin termites do not lay their eggs individually. Instead, the eggs are laid in sticky rows of 16 to 24 eggs. These rows are similar to the rows in the egg pouches of cockroaches. This similarity between Darwin termites and cockroaches is another example of why scientists believe these creatures are closely related.
Termites often live long lives. A colony's king and queen may live to be more than 10 years old.
Bibliography
Thiele, Kevin. "Darwin's Giant Termite." Taxonomy Australia, 14 Jan. 2022, www.taxonomyaustralia.org.au/post/darwin-s-giant-termite. Accessed 5 Apr. 2024.