comparative study on the spermatogenesis in workers, soldiers and reproductives of the termite Reticulitermes aculabialis

Key Words： termite，testes，spermatogenesis，workers，soldiers

Abstract：  A histological dyeing method was used to observe the testes and spermatogenesis in all castes of the termite Reticulitermes aculabialis Tsai et Hwang. The results show that the sectional area of the testes of reproductive individuals was 1.7 times bigger than that of workers and 29.3 times bigger than that of soldiers. The sectional area of workers’ testes was 17.1 times that of soldiers’. There were spermatozoa in the testicular follicles of both reproductives and workers, however, the worker testes had more apoptotic spermatocytesin. In the soldier caste, the process of spermatogenesis included only the spermatogonia, primary spermatocyte and secondary spermatocyte stages; no spermatids or spermatozoa were observed. The germ cells of workers and soldiers were significantly smaller than those in reproductives at the same stage of spermatogenesis. The results suggest that the differentiation of reproductive function in this termite is directly correlated with gonad development. Workers can differentiate into neotenic reproductives or soldiers, but, due to the extreme degradation of the testes, the soldier caste does not have the ability to become other castes.