Unveiling a surprising revelation, termites, those industrious wood-munching insects, are officially recognized as the new members of the cockroach order. As of February 15, 2018, the American Entomological Society updated the classification, merging termites into the cockroach order. This shift showcases the dynamic nature of scientific knowledge, adapting and evolving based on the insights gleaned from new research.
Termites, renowned for their wood-consuming habits facilitated by gut-dwelling microbes, share a remarkable connection with cockroaches. The roots of this revelation trace back to 1934 when scientists identified microbial communities in the hindguts of both termites and wood-eating cockroaches. Subsequent genetic studies reinforced the notion that termites are an evolutionary branch of the cockroach family. A 2007 study published in Biology Letters solidified the familial ties between termites and cockroaches.
Ecologist Kobe Schall of the University of North Carolina (US) describes termites as “social cockroaches,” emphasizing their advanced social structure. While some cockroaches exhibit social behaviors, termites surpass them as truly eusocial insects. In particular, the Macroterm genus boasts colonies with up to 3 million individuals reproducing from a single queen and king.
