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Biochemical, molecular, and morphological variations of flight muscles before and after dispersal flight in a eusocial termite, Reticulitermes chinensis
Author(s) -
Zhang ZhenYu,
Ren Jing,
Chu Fei,
Guan JunXia,
Yang GuangYu,
Liu YuTong,
Zhang XinYing,
Ge SiQin,
Huang QiuYing
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
insect science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.991
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1744-7917
pISSN - 1672-9609
DOI - 10.1111/1744-7917.12763
Subject(s) - biology , swarming (honey bee) , eusociality , alate , biological dispersal , wing , insect flight , zoology , anatomy , ecology , botany , hymenoptera , pest analysis , population , demography , sociology , homoptera , aphididae , engineering , aerospace engineering
Swarming behavior facilitates pair formation, and therefore mating, in many eusocial termites. However, the physiological adjustments and morphological transformations of the flight muscles involved in flying and flightless insect forms are still unclear. Here, we found that the dispersal flight of the eusocial termite Reticulitermes chinensis Snyder led to a gradual decrease in adenosine triphosphate supply from oxidative phosphorylation, as well as a reduction in the activities of critical mitochondrial respiratory enzymes from preflight to dealation. Correspondingly, using three‐dimensional reconstruction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the flight muscles were found to be gradually deteriorated during this process. In particular, two tergo‐pleural muscles (IItpm5 and III‐tpm5) necessary to adjust the rotation of wings for wing shedding behavior were present only in flying alates. These findings suggest that flight muscle systems vary in function and morphology to facilitate the swarming flight procedure, which sheds light on the important role of swarming in successful extension and fecundity of eusocial termites.