Nest-mate recognition based on heritable odors in the termite Microcerotermes arboreus

Workers of the Neotropical termite Microcerotermes arboreus distinguish nest mates from other conspecifics by odor. A controlled breeding experiment demonstrated a genetic component to variation in colony odors. Workers were less aggressive toward unfamiliar relatives than toward nonrelatives and distinguished degree of relatedness among unfamiliar workers. Unfamiliar relatives were attacked more often than nest mates, despite similar levels of genetic relatedness; thus, nest-mate recognition is not based solely upon heritable characteristics of individual workers. No difference was detected between the effects of cues inherited through the mother and cues inherited through the father.