Artículo
The first fossil fungus gardens of Isoptera: Oldest evidence of symbiotic termite fungiculture (Miocene, Chad basin)
Duringer, Philippe; Schuster, Mathieu; Genise, Jorge Fernando
; Likius, Andossa; Mackaye, Hassan Taisso; Vignaud, Patrick; Brunet, Michel
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Fecha de publicación:
22/08/2006
Editorial:
Springer
Revista:
Naturwissenschaften
ISSN:
0028-1042
Idioma:
Inglés
Tipo de recurso:
Artículo publicado
Clasificación temática:
Resumen
Higher termites of the subfamily Macrotermitinae (fungus-growing termites) are known to build fungus gardens where a symbiotic fungus (Termitomyces sp.) is cultivated. The fungus grows on a substrate called fungus comb, a structure built with the termites’ own faeces. Here we present the first fossil fungus combs ever found in the world. They were extracted from 7-million-year-old continental sandstone (Chad basin). Fossilized fungus combs have an ovoid morphology with a more or less flattened concave base and a characteristic general alveolar aspect. Under lens, they display a typical millimetre-scale pelletal structure. The latter, as well as the general shape and alveolar aspect, are similar to the morphology of fungus combs from extant fungus-growing termites.
Palabras clave:
Fossil Fungus
,
Termite Fungiculture
,
Symbiotic Isoptera
,
Fungus Gardens
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Articulos(CCT-CENPAT)
Articulos de CTRO.CIENTIFICO TECNOL.CONICET - CENPAT
Articulos de CTRO.CIENTIFICO TECNOL.CONICET - CENPAT
Citación
Duringer, Philippe; Schuster, Mathieu; Genise, Jorge Fernando; Likius, Andossa; Mackaye, Hassan Taisso; et al.; The first fossil fungus gardens of Isoptera: Oldest evidence of symbiotic termite fungiculture (Miocene, Chad basin); Springer; Naturwissenschaften; 93; 12; 22-8-2006; 610-615
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