Inquilinitermes

Inquilinitermes spp. (Blattodea: Termitidae: Termitinae) is a genus of Neotropical termites described by Anthony G. Mathews [1] that includes species found exclusively inside nests of another termite species (i.g. host termites), belonging to the genus Constrictotermes spp. (Blattodea: Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae) [2]. For not being able to build their own nest, every species of Inquilinitermes has been commonly referred as an obligatory inquiline and its symbiosis with a host termite has been treated as inquilinism.

Inquilinitermes
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Blattodea
Infraorder:	Isoptera
Family:	Termitidae
Subfamily:	Termitinae
Type species
Inquilinitermes spp. Mathews, 1977
Species
Inquilinitermes. microcerus (Silvestri, 1901) Inquilinitermes. fur (Silvestri, 1901) Inquilinitermes. inquilinus (Emerson, 1925) Inquilinitermes. johnchapmani Scheffrahn, 2014

In the past few decades, species of the genus have been investigated in various studies, e.g. focusing on their relationship with the host species[3] [4], their diet requirements [5] and, more recently, behavioral aspects of their symbiosis with the builder termites[6]

References

1. A. G. A. Mathews.Studies on Termites from the Mato Grosso State, Brazil. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 1977.
2. R. Constantino, “On-line termite database”, 2018.
3. Cunha, H.F.D., Andrade Costa, D., Espirito Santo Filho, K.D., Silva, L.O., Brandão, D. (2003). Relationship between Constrictotermes cyphergaster and inquiline termites in the Cerrado (Isoptera: Termitidae). Sociobiology, 42(3), 761-770.
4. Cristaldo, P.F., Rosa, C.S., Florencio, D.F. et al. Termitarium volume as a determinant of invasion by obligatory termitophiles and inquilines in the nests of Constrictotermes cyphergaster (Termitidae, Nasutitermitinae). Insect. Soc. 59, 541–548 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00040-012-0249-3
5. Florencio, D.F., Marins, A., Rosa, C.S., Cristaldo, P.F., Araújo, A.P.A., Silva, I.R., DeSouza, O. (2013). Diet segregation between a cohabiting builder and an inquiline termite species. PLoS One, 8, e66535. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0066535
6. Hugo, H., Cristaldo, P. F., & DeSouza, O. (2020). Nonaggressive behaviour: a strategy employed by an obligate nest invader to avoid conflict with its host species. Ecology and Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.6572

See also

• Mutualism – both species experience a mutual benefit in the relationship.
• Parasitism – one species benefits at the expense of another in the relationship.
• Parabiosis – both species occupy the same dwelling without interdependence.
• Symbiosis – long-term stable relationships between different species.