1998/09/01 by Christopher Martius · 1 citation
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Psychology · #Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior #Plant and animal studies #Animal and Plant Science Education #Termitidae #Amazon rainforest #Biology #Biomass (ecology) #Rhinotermitidae #Dry weight #Ecology #Botany
paper · pdf · doi:10.1590/1809-43921998283324
openalex publication_date 1998/09/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
The leaf-feeding species Syntermes molestus and S. spinosus are two dominant termite species in Reserva Ducke in Central Amazonia; two other species (S. aculeosus, S. longiceps) exist in the area. All species except S. aculeosus were also found in urban areas. The workers of S. molestus and S. spinosus have average body dry weights of 4.5±0.2 and 13.1±1.4 mg, and the weight of their soldiers is 8.2±0.2 and 51.0±1.7 mg, respectively. Therefore, S. spinosus is among the largest termites of the world. In both species, fresh weight is about 4.7 higher than dry weight (a wider relation than in other termite species). The biomass of the populations of both species amounted to about 1 g m-2 (dry weight; indirect estimate), which rises previous assessments of the total termite biomass by about 36-45%, to a value of 3.0-3.5 g m-2.