INHIBITORY EFFECT OF TERMITE FECAL PELLETS ON FUNGAL SPORE GERMINATION

The dampwood termite Zootermopsis angusticollis lines nest chambers an d galleries with fecal pellets. The antifungal properties of feces wer e tested by recording germination fates of spores of the fungus Metarh izium anisopliae that had been incubated with various concentrations o f fecal material. The presence of fecal pellet material significantly decreased the germination rates of spores relative to those of control spore solutions lacking fecal material. Spore germination rates were inversely proportional to the amount of fecal matter present in the sp ore-feces suspensions but were independent of incubation time. The fun gistatic effect of the fecal material is virtually immediate and does not require prolonged contact with spores to inhibit germination. This mechanism of biochemical protection may reduce risks of fungal infect ion in termite nests.