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The rôle of lignin in the nutrition of several Australian termites
1983 - IRG/WP 1191
The ability of Nasutitermes exitiosus (Hill), Coptotermes acinaciformis (Frogatt), Coptotermes lacteus (Froggatt) and Mastotermes darwiniensis (Froggatt) to degrade 14C-lignin preparations was examined. The lower termites were unable to degrade lignin. Nasutitermes exitiosus was able to cause a 5-8% degradation of hardwood lignins and a synthetic lignin. It failed to degrade the lignin of Pinus ra...
L J Cookson


Ingestion of wood-degrading micro-organisms
1991 - IRG/WP 4169
An ultrastructural study was carried out on the digestive tract contents of Limnoria lignorum, frass, gallery walls and surface structures of the animals. The purpose of the study was to determine whether wood-degrading bacteria, fungi and other microbes and/or wood degraded by these microbes were present in gut regions and therefore could provide indirectly a nutritional source for Limnoria. Both...
G F Daniel, S M Cragg, T Nilsson


The functional anatomy of the digestive caecae and gut residence times for the marine wood borer Limnoria (Crustacea: Isopoda)
1997 - IRG/WP 97-10204
A scanning and transmission electron microscope study of the digestive caecae of the marine wood boring isopods Limnoria tripunctata and Limnoria quadripunctata, was undertaken. Two cell types were identified, containing structures indicative of absorption, secretion and storage. Cell types were distinguished according to size, the largest cell type having a large free surface area, a well develop...
C Wykes, S M Cragg, A J Pitman


Changes in bacterial gut community of Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) and Reticulitermes tibialis banks after feeding on termiticidal bait material
2014 - IRG/WP 14-10819
In this study, 454-pyrosequencing was used to evaluate the effect of two termiticidal baits, hexaflumuron and diflubenzuron, on the bacterial gut community in two Reticulitermes flavipes colonies and one Reticulitermes tibialis colony. Results showed two bacterial groups to be most abundant in the gut, the Bacteroidetes and Spirochaetes, both of which do not appear to be adversely affected by bait...
R A Arango, F Green III, K F Raffa


Effect of Rifampin on gut symbiotic bacteria isolated from Anacanthotermes vagans Hagen (Isoptera: Hodotermitidae)
2014 - IRG 14-10835
Termites thrive in terrestrial ecosystems and play an important role in bio-recycling of the lignocellulosic biomass, that is a mixture of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. However, these insects become pests when they interfere with human interests related to wood/cellulose products, attacking structural timber, furniture and paper products. Sustainable management of subterranean termites usin...
B Habibpour, M Jalali, D Gharibi


Evaluating the role of Actinobacteria in the gut of wood-feeding termites (Reticulitermes spp.)
2017 - IRG/WP 17-10880
Nitrogen has been shown to be a limiting nutrient across a range of xylophagous insects. These insects often rely on symbiotic microorganisms in the gut for nitrogen acquisition, via fixation of atmospheric nitrogen or break down of other available nitrogenous substances. In phylogenetically lower, wood-feeding termites, the role of nitrogen fixing bacteria has been well studied. However, there is...
Evaluating the role of Actinobacteria in the gut of wood-feeding termites (Reticulitermes spp.)


Evaluation of the effect of zwitterionic buffers on termite gut protists
2018 - IRG/WP 18-10933
The thermal modification of wood is recognized as the most commercialized wood modification process. The treatment of wood at temperatures usually greater than 180 ºC results in a product with some properties enhanced (dimensional stability, durability, aesthetical colour) and some diminished (mechanical properties). The loss of mechanical strength is recognized as a limitation to the use of ther...
S Duarte, D Jones, L Nunes


Microbial symbionts in the shipworm gut: a new finding resolving a century old mystery explaining how shipworms digest lignin
2025 - IRG/WP 25-11061
Shipworms, historically known for their destruction of wooden ships and coastal structures, also play a key role in carbon and nutrient cycling in aquatic ecosystems. Despite extensive research, the exact mechanisms underlying their ability to digest wood, and particularly how they digest lignin, have remained elusive. A better understanding of the way that they attack and digest wood will potenti...
B Goodell, J Chambers, D V Ward, C Murphy, E Black, L B K Mancilio, G Perez-Gonzalez, J R Shipway