Under the rocky soil of Morocco, researchers have discovered an amazing intruder who lives without being detected within the termites colonies.
Few strangers obtain acceptance in the Termitas Society, but a kind of torch has evolved an incredible multipart disguise that successfully deceives the termites, allowing their larvae not only to survive but apparently prosper.
This has not been firmly documented in these flies, according to a new study. The authors say it was luck that they discovered that flies of flies inhabited colonies in the Anti-Atlas mountains from southern Morocco, where the termites of the native harvester (Anacanthothermes eightRaceus) Build underground nests.
The evolutionary biologist Roger Vila, of the Institute of Evolutionary Biology in Spain and his team, studies butterflies and ants, and since few butterflies were active that day due to recent rains, they looked for ants.
“When we lifted a stone, we found a mound of termites with three fly larvae that we had never seen before,” Vila, Vila says. “The water had probably flooded the deepest layers of the nest and the larvae had emerged on the surface.”
Intriguedos, the researchers returned three times. They built hundreds of stones, but found only two more of the larvae, which were together in a mound of termites.
This suggests that the species is rare, says Vila. The phylogenomic analysis indicates that blown flies belong to the genre Rhyncomya, Although more research is needed to investigate your abundance, along with other details about your biology and ecology.
However, what we know so far is already amazing.
The termites use their antennas to pat and smell of anyone who enters, quickly helping them identify problems. Specialized soldiers’ termites have giant jaws for this occasion.
However, with such an enviable security, Climate controlAnd food security, can be tempting for other insects trying to infiltrate their colonies, despite the risk.
For part of their disguise, blown larvae show a “termites mask” in its rear. This consists of a false head adorned with antennas and palpos similar to those of a trine of harvesting.
The false head also includes false eyes, which are significantly similar to the eyes of the harvesting termites. Actually, Vila points out, these are breathing holes.
“Most termites live several meters deep and have no visual perception,” Vila says. “However, harvester termites go out at dusk to collect grass, so they have functional eyes that larvae can imitate with their spiracles.”
In addition to the head of false termite, the bodies of the larvae are covered with strange ‘tentacles’. These are strange imitations of termites antennas, as demonstrated by researchers with scanning electronic microscopy.
Unlike the false head, these tentacles can be functional. Flies seem to really use them to communicate with termites.
And since the larvae have so many of these bumps, they can communicate with several termites at the same time.
Both are impressive adaptations, but not yet enough on their own.
Each colony of Termitas has its own aroma, shared by all members, and nobody enters without it. Looking like a termite will not help if it does not smell well: the intruders of other colonies are not welcome and can be dismembered by the soldiers.
But these fly larvae are professionals. Not only mimic the aroma of a colony; According to Vila, they coincide perfectly.
“We quantified the chemical composition of these larvae and the results is surprising: they says.
In nature, the fly larvae had been in the food cameras of their hosts when Vila and his colleagues found them. The researchers brought some back to a mound of laboratory termites, where the larvae gravitated towards more populated areas.
The termites were highly attentive, going into mass around the fly larvae and treading them. They also seemed to feed them.
“The larva says. “Termites even seem to feed them, although this has not yet been demonstrated unequivocally.”
Some humpback flies (Phoridae) Also imitate the termites, but they do it as adults, not larvae. Nor are they closely related to these blown flies, suggesting that the joints evolved independently.
“The common ancestor of flies and humpback flies dates back to more than 150 million years, far beyond what separates humans from mice. Therefore, we are sure that we have discovered a new case of evolution of social integration “, Vila”, Vila “, Vila”, says.
No other known species in the genus Rhyncomya It exhibits a similar appearance or lifestyle, insinuating a relatively rapid evolution.
“This discovery invites us to reconsider the limits and potential of symbiotic relationships and social parasitism in nature,” Vila says.
“But, above all, we must realize how much we do not know about the vast diversity and specialization of insects, which are essential organisms in ecosystems.”
The study was published in Current biology.
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