Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: LUIZA HELENA BUENO DA SILVA

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : LUIZA HELENA BUENO DA SILVA
DATE: 15/12/2023
TIME: 14:00
LOCAL: video-conferência
TITLE:

Individual and social immunity in termites (Isoptera: Termitidae): implications of soldier caste loss

PAGES: 50
BIG AREA: Ciências Biológicas
AREA: Zoologia
SUMMARY:

The soldier caste is a synapomorphy in Isoptera, and these individuals are primarily associated with colony defense and seem to play a key role in colonial immune defense against pathogens. Some termite species have lost their soldier caste, and doubts about the development of the immune system or how these species deal with pathogens without soldiers make the neotropical Apicotermitinae excellent models for study. This research aims to understand the role of soldiers in the evolution of social immunity in termites. To this end, two species of termites will be compared: Silvestritermes euamignathus, which has soldiers with physical and chemical defenses, and Anoplotermes pacificus, which does not have soldiers, in order to answer the following questions: 1. What is the contribution of soldiers to the behavioral repertoires involved in social immunity in termites with physical and chemical defenses; 2. What behavioral responses are associated with social immunity in termites that have lost their soldier caste? Individuals of both species were infected with the fungus Metarhizium anisopliae and, at different stages of infection, were introduced into experimental arenas containing healthy nest mates for behavioral observation. The analysis of the experiments included the quantification of behaviors related to the interaction between nest mates and the contaminated individual, such as grooming, attacking and dismembering. The data obtained was analyzed using generalized linear mixed-effects models. Healthy colony members of both species performed a behavioral repertoire in the presence of a fungus-contaminated nestmate. This behavioral repertoire of both species changes according to the stage of infection. In A. pacificus, during the initial period of infection, the individual is subjected to grooming and this behavior is intensified the longer the incubation period.  S. euamignathus, on the other hand, gradually alters its social immunity behavioral repertoire according to the stage of infection of the infected individual. So that grooming behavior is replaced by elimination by cannibalism.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - Interno ao Programa - 1229106 - IVES HAIFIG
Membro Titular - Examinador(a) Externo à Instituição - PAULO FELLIPE CRISTALDO - UFRPE
Membro Titular - Examinador(a) Externo à Instituição - RAFAEL RIOS MOURA
Membro Suplente - Examinador(a) Interno ao Programa - 1308531 - TIAGO FERNANDES CARRIJO
Membro Suplente - Examinador(a) Externo à Instituição - HÉLIDA FERREIRA DA CUNHA - UEG