ABSTRACT

Ants are the main predators of termites. In most ant species nestmates are easily recruited to termite colonies, which are excellent resources because of the extremely high local population density in the termite hives. Schedorhinotermes lamanianus, an arboreal Rhinotermitinae with nests of tremendous dimensions, has evolved defense mechanisms on various levels. On an individual level termite workers and soldiers use their biting mandibles to disable small attacking ants on a mechanical basis and their frontal gland secretion to repell or to temporarily disable predators chemically. The frontal gland secretion (FGS) of S. lamanianus is composed of a blend of aliphatic ketones, which is dabbed on the cuticle of the attacking ant during combat or it simply evaporates. During the encounter between ants and termites - especially when termite soldiers are killed - large amounts of the FGS are released which repell additional ants.