Diversity and evolution of caste patterns

摘要: Termite societies display a wide array of polymorphism patterns, rivalled only by the most complex ant societies. Caste differentiation in termites occurs when immatures either sex deviate from straight hemimetabolous pathway leading egg to winged imago. Two kinds irreversible deviations are found primitive termites: one leads sterile soldier caste, other neotenic reproductives. Social tasks primitively done which may postpone their maturation but retain full range developmental options. A major event evolution termite caste patterns is polyphyletic onset worker irreversibly excluded imaginal pathway. Termites with workers went through remarkable behavioural and ecological diversification. After defining terms, I review here diversity an evolutionary perspective. provide examples relationships between ecology, examine decision regulatory mechanisms affecting determination. Trends then outlined, salient enigmatic ones repeated occurrence sexual dimorphism among frequent specialization formation castes.