Title: An ancient, cryptic and forgotten social insect species of the Himalayan forests
Presenter: Mark Bulmer (Department of Biology, Towson University)
Description: Archotermopsis wroughtoni, a cryptic social insect found in remote temperate coniferous forests of the western and central Himalayas in India, is one of the most primitive living species of termites. Due to its remote habitat, the most recent research on the life history of this species, by Augustus Imms, dates back to 1919. After a 2-month search in tributaries of the Kulu valley in Himachal Pradesh, I found A. wroughtoni colonies and investigated some basic aspects of its natural history and social organization. A focus of this study was on termites’ social responses to a mold fungus that can evade their immune systems.
Location: Smith Hall, room 359
Time: 3:30pm
Date: February 13th, 2018
