Subterranean-nests

Guides

• Apicotermitinae

  Typical Soldierless Termites and Allies

  Apicotermitinae is a highly diverse subfamily of termites within Termitidae, comprising 64 genera and 236 species distributed across the Neotropical, Afrotropical, and Indomalayan realms. The subfamily is predominantly soil-feeding, with most species inhabiting diffuse subterranean nests. A defining feature of most Apicotermitinae is the evolutionary loss of the soldier caste, which occurred independently in at least two separate lineages. In the absence of soldiers, workers have evolved alternative defense mechanisms including increased aggression and autothysis.

  soldierless-termitessoil-feedingautothysisdehiscent-organtermite-defensehumus-feedingNeotropicalAfrotropicalIndomalayansubterranean-nestsgut-morphologyenteric-valvemolecular-systematicsCOICOII16Sgregarine-parasitesRuptitermesSpeculitermesTriclavitermesDissimulitermesGrigiotermesAnoplotermes-groupCaatingaAtlantic-ForestWestern-Ghats

• Vespula infernalis

  cuckoo yellowjacket, American cuckoo yellowjacket

  Vespula infernalis is an obligate social parasite (inquiline) that invades and usurps colonies of other yellowjacket species, primarily Vespula acadica in North America. Unlike most parasitic wasps, it exhibits intensely aggressive behavior during colony takeover, using specialized morphological adaptations including a large, heavily curved stinger to subdue host workers. The species lacks a worker caste and cannot build nests or rear its own young, instead forcing host workers to feed and care for its brood through dominance behaviors including mauling and forced trophallaxis.

  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