The butt of this fly larva looks like the head of a termite – termites are descending for this
How do flying larvae sneak into termite nests? With the butt shape like a termite's head, Obviously.
An international team of researchers in Morocco found that blowfly larvae not only live but also flourished within termite colonies. This potential new species developed a significant adaptation to escape colonial soldiers termites, which quickly dismembered the invaders. Its survival skills include termite-shaped pointed heads, antenna-like tentacles, and the ability to mimic the unique smell of the colonies. The strategy obviously works, as the researchers observed termites that cared about the invaders.
“This is an opportunity. In our research group, we mainly study butterflies and ants. Since it rained a lot and the butterflies did not fly, we looked for ants. When we lifted a stone we found a termite mound, three of which A fly larvae have never been seen before,” said Roger Vila, a biologist at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology, in a statement from the Spanish National Research Council. He added: “This must be an extremely rare species, as we have conducted three more expeditions in the area and despite lifting hundreds of stones, we have found only two other flies in another termite mound. ”
As stated in a study published in a journal published on Monday Current Biologythe researchers identified a so-called “termite mask” at the back end of the blowfly larvae: a head-shaped appendage equipped with non-functional antennas and tentacles (additions near the mouth related to touch and taste), all of which They are all exactly the same size as the large harvester termites. It seems that this is not impressive enough, and the larvae's breathing holes look like eyes on a termite mask.
“Most termites live a few meters deep and have no visual view. However, harvester termites come out at dusk to collect grass, so they have functional eyes that allow larvae to mimic their smoke. [breathing holes],” Vera explained.
Since termites have not invented artificial lighting yet (and seeing them is easy to fool, and for a long time it won’t), members of the same colony recognize their researchers by using their antennae to smell and touch each other. But the larvae are clearly aware of this, as Vila and his colleagues have also identified many other antenna-like tentacles along their bodies, and they suggest helping babies communicate with (Trick) at a time (Trick) at a time (Trick) at a time multiple termites at a time. In addition, they found a way to mimic termite scent.
“We quantified the chemical composition of these larvae and the results were surprising: they were no different from the termites in the colony they inhabited; they smelled exactly the same,” Vera said. “In addition, larvae and termites in specific colonies differ slightly in their chemical characteristics, which separates them from other termite mounds. This odor is key to interacting with termites and benefiting from their public life. It's a chemistry camouflage.”
And benefit from them. After the researchers transferred the larvae and termite colonies to the laboratory, they pointed out that the larvae are usually suspended in the most trafficked areas of the termite nest. There, their overwhelmed termite trustees raised them, and might even provide them with feeding, although the researchers acknowledged the need to confirm the latter behavior.
Furthermore, “the larvae we studied eventually died without deformation, so the nest may have elements, and the symbiotic relationship between termites and flies we cannot transfer to the lab. Their diet is not yet clear, and their adult form remains a mystery .” Vera pointed out.
The researchers noted that the hump-head flies also exhibited masking behavior, with one of the main differences being: they mimic adults rather than at the larval stage. Furthermore, “the common ancestor of the fight against flies and humphead flies can be traced back to more than 150 million years, far exceeding that of the ancestors that separate humans from mice. Therefore, we are confident that we have discovered a new case of evolutionary social integration.” Vera explain.
Researchers also revealed that in the fight against families, new flies are members of the genus Rhyncomya. Because scientists don't know Rhyncomya Flies demonstrate this unique “lifestyle”, so researchers speculate that the species must develop rapidly.
Ultimately, the researchers made a rather unique claim that the first person to observe a blowfly disguised among termites – would disappoint people anyway. Who knows how many failed pretendings the soldier's disguise was dismembered by the soldier's termite before the correct disguise.
