CELLULOSE METABOLISM OF THE SYMBIOTIC PROTOZOA IN TERMITE, COPTOTERMES-FORMASANUS SHIRAKI (ISOPTERA, RHINOTERMITIDAE) .3. UTILIZATION OF NONNATURAL CELLULOSES
T. Yoshimura et al., CELLULOSE METABOLISM OF THE SYMBIOTIC PROTOZOA IN TERMITE, COPTOTERMES-FORMASANUS SHIRAKI (ISOPTERA, RHINOTERMITIDAE) .3. UTILIZATION OF NONNATURAL CELLULOSES, Mokuzai Gakkaishi, 39(11), 1993, pp. 1322-1326
The changes of survival rates, weights of workers, and numbers of diff
erentiated soldiers suggested that two non-natural celluloses, cellulo
se II and amorphous cellulose, as well as cellulose I were utilized by
workers of Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki when the termite workers we
re forced to feed on these substrates. In addition, the existence of t
hree symbiotic protozoa indicated that all protozoan species were invo
lved in the metabolism of these non-natural celluloses.