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Studies on diversity of termites (Isoptera) of Delhi and their associated gut flora

KrishiKosh

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Title Studies on diversity of termites (Isoptera) of Delhi and their associated gut flora
M.Sc.
 
Creator ASISH KUMAR ROUT
 
Contributor V.V. Ramamurthy
 
Subject developmental stages, bacteria, odontotermes, biological phenomena, microtermes, marketing margins, dna, cloning, imports, wood
 
Description Termites belong to the order Isoptera. These are important pests of
agroecosystems and households. Hence, correct identification is of primary requisite.
It has been challenging task to elucidate the taxonomic records on the species of
termites, particularly within the family Termitidae. In the present study, an
exploration was conducted with a major objective of getting maximum number of
species from Delhi. The specimens collected were processed and preserved in ethyl
alcohol for studies. A total of eight species were collected from different parts of
Delhi which fall under four genera and two subfamilies. Illustrations and
morphometrics of taxonomically important characters of soldiers were made. These
included the measurements of the salient body parts like mandibles, head, pronotum,
and other parts of the body. As soldiers are the most important forms critical in
identifying the species, these were focused in all the species. The line diagrams of the
species studied were made with the stereozoom microscope and drawing tube.
Photographs of the soldiers and alates (wherever available) were taken, digitised and
documented. Redescriptions of the eight species studied were made with the
measurements incorporated into their descriptions. The available information on their
morphology was reviewed. Some additional aspects were incorporated in their
descriptions, and the descriptions made more authentic with the addition of
morphometric ratios. A dichotomous key was prepared for the species which are rich
in Delhi and its suburban agroecosystems. This key which has emerged out of the
modifications in the earlier well known keys is unique in its contents, in particular,
with the digitisation of the salient taxonomic characters. As the survival of the
termites is dependent on the gut microbes, and their association is of phylogentic and
evolutionary significance, we have used culture-independent 16S rDNA sequencing
studies to describe the intestinal flora of Odontotermes obesus (Rambur) and
Microtermes obesi Holmgren. Standard methodology available for such studies in the
literature had been evaluated and a protocol suitable to the termite studies developed.
The clones sequenced from both species revealed five different bacteria (out of which
50
two were Enterobacter sp. and Bacteroides sp. and three were uncultured). Such
information on these microorganisms from the gut of the termites generated now is
unique as no such studies have been made on the Indian termite fauna so far. The
16sRNA sequences obtained had been compared with the sequences available in the
NCBI GenBank and the phylogenetic picture emerging through BLAST constructed.
The lineage of these microbes determined through constructing dendrograms will add
to the knowledge on these aspects on the termites of the world.
Efforts were made on the molecular systematics, through analysis of the mtCO1 in the
soldiers and alates of O. obesus. These efforts focused towards comparing the soldiers
with the alates amplifying their mtCO1 and further analysis of these led to generation
of additional data on their molecular genetics and systematics. The traditional
taxonomic approaches focusing only towards the morphological data, that too of only
the soldiers have been supplemented with the generated molecular data. These results
led to integration of both the castes for the purpose of species diagnostics, and morph
nonspecific identifications. Thus it has paved the way for the identification of alates
too, which has been a tedious job in the conventional taxonomy and species
diagnostics of the termites. This study might be an example as a pilot study for such
integrative taxonomy in termite
 
Date 2016-03-11T15:47:51Z
2016-03-11T15:47:51Z
2013
 
Type Thesis
 
Identifier http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/65094
 
Language en_US
 
Format application/pdf
 
Publisher IARI, Division of Entomology,, New Delhi