CHEMICAL MIMICRY AS AN INTEGRATING MECHANISM 
FOR THREE TERMITOPHILES ASSOCIATED WITH 
RETIC ULITERMES VIRGINICUS (BANKS) 12 
By Ralph W. Howard , 34 C. A. McDaniel , * 2 3 4 5 
and Gary J. Blomquist 6 
Introduction 
The mechanisms by which termitophiles integrate themselves into 
the social life of termite colonies have long intrigued entomologists 
(Kistner, 1979). Various authors have suggested that plausible inte- 
gration mechanisms might include the using of “appeasement chem- 
icals” (Wilson, 1971), passing as morphological mimics (Kistner, 
1968), or engaging in behavioral mimicry (Kistner, 1979). We 
recently reported (Howard et al., 1980a) that the host-specific, 
highly integrated termitophile Trichopsenius frosti Seevers asso- 
ciated with Retieulitermes flavipes (Kollar) possesses the same com- 
plex mixture of cuticular hydrocarbons as its termite host. We 
suggested that this was an example of chemical mimicry which func- 
tioned to integrate this beetle into the termite society. 
Retieulitermes virginicus (Banks) is sympatric with R. flavipes 
throughout much of its range and, as predicted (Howard et al., 
1978; Blomquist et ah, 1979), the two species possess distinctly dif- 
ferent cuticular hydrocarbons which function as species recognition 
cues (Howard et ah, 1982). They also have different termitophilous 
cohorts. Thus, T. frosti is associated only with R. flavipes whereas 
T. depressus Le Conte, Xenistusa hexagonalis Seevers (both Sta- 
phylinidae: Trichopseniinae), and Philotermes howardi Kistner and 
Gut (Staphylinidae; Aleocharinae) are associated only with R. vir- 
ginicus. We now report that the three R. virginicus staphylinids also 
appear to use chemical mimicry as an integrating mechanism; i.e.. 
'Manuscript received by the editor June 3, 1982. 
2 Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae. 
3 Forestry Sciences Laboratory. Southern Forest Experiment Station, P. O. Bo x 2008 
GMF, Gulfport, MS 39503. 
4 Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. 
5 National Monitoring and Residue Analysis Laboratory, VS DA Animal and Plant 
Health Inspection Service, P. O. Box 3209, Gulfport, MS 39503. 
6 Department of Biochemistry, University of Nevada- Reno, Reno, NV 89557 
157 
