A chemotaxonomic survey using cuticular hydrocarbons of some species of the Australian harvester termite genus Drepanotermes (Isoptera: Termitidae)

The cuticular hydrocarbon compositions of 8 species of Drepanotermes are reported. For most species these comprise alkanes with a narrow range of carbon chain lengths; only one species, D. barretti, contains an appreciable amount of unsaturates. Comparisons amongst species show both similarities and marked differences in hydrocarbon profiles. Three widespread but morphologically and behaviorally distinct species have qualitatively similar hydrocarbon profiles. On the other hand, several instances are reported where morphologically similar, sympatric pairs of species show marked qualitative differences in cuticular hydrocarbons; these differences generally arise as a result of changes in chain length. It is postulated that, in these cases, character displacement of hydrocarbons has occurred because for sympatric species different hydrocarbon compositions are advantageous for species recognition and integrity.