OVARIAN EVOLUTION OF THE QUEEN DURING COL ONY DEVELOPMENT IN MACROTERMES-SUBHYALINUS (ISOPTERA, TERMIDIDAE)

The first eight months of colony founding in Macrotermes subhylalinus constitute a vulnerable stage for the queen : mortality of the young c olony is about 50% ; the queen looses about 30% of her initial weight and her ovarian and hormonal activity decreases. From the eight month, the ovarian hormonal activity starts again and from the 24th month, b egins the external physogastry of the queen. During this physogastry, the total number of ovarioles does not change, only the number of the functional ovarioles varies. The maturity of ovarioles in the aged phy sogastric queen is not totally achieved because it exists some differe nt ovarioles not functional besides the numerous functional ovarioles, even in posterior areas of the ovary. We notice that the activity of corpora allata and the first rise of ecdysteroid level at with months coincides with the taking charge of the queen by the workers and the c hange of food. At 24 months, a further increase in ecdysteroid level i s synchronized with the beginning of physogastry and may be linked wit h ovary growth.