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. |
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Creator |
ASISH KUMAR ROUT
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Contributor |
V.V. Ramamurthy
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Subject |
developmental stages, bacteria, odontotermes, biological phenomena, microtermes, marketing margins, dna, cloning, imports, wood
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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 |
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Date |
2016-03-11T15:47:51Z
2016-03-11T15:47:51Z 2013 |
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Type |
Thesis
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Identifier |
http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/65094
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Language |
en_US
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Format |
application/pdf
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Publisher |
IARI, Division of Entomology,, New Delhi
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