2023 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report
Evolutionary process of termite construction revealed by comparative and constructive approaches
| Project/Area Number |
22KJ3236
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Research Institution | Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University |
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Principal Investigator |
水元 惟暁 沖縄科学技術大学院大学, 沖縄科学技術大学院大学、進化ゲノミクスユニット, 研究員
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| Project Period (FY) |
2023-03-08 – 2024-03-31
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| Keywords | Amber / Fossil / Tunneling |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
This research project aims to infer the evolutionary process of collective building in termites through a comparative analysis of nest construction across various species worldwide.
Until last year, I focused on (i) compiling literature information to build a comprehensive dataset for termite evolution and (ii) behavioral observations of Japanese termites, due to travel restrictions. This year, I finally managed field sampling in Australia. The outcome is summarized as follows.
First, I obtained the videos and time-lapse images for tunneling behavior in Mastotermes darwiniensis, Porotermes adamsoni, and Stolotermes victoriensis. These three species are in ecologically and phylogenetically critical positions in termite diversity. Combining the data obtained from Japanese species, I could comprehend most termite lineages. The results are under analysis.
Second, I had a couple of publications relating to the project. For example, the paper reporting the development of TManual (see last year’s report) has been published (Mizumoto, 2023, Ecol Evol). Also, a paper studying inference behaviors from fossil records has been published (Mizumoto et al., 2024, PNAS), contributing to the understanding of the evolution of collective behavior.
Third, we added data from> 20 species in Malaysia and Australia to examine how the evolution of nesting biology can result in the differentiated movement capacity of termites, including two more independent evolutionary events of nesting strategies.
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