Simon Hellemans
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View article: An integrative revision of the genus Isognathotermes (Termitidae: Cubitermitinae) with description of seven new species and four new subspecies
An integrative revision of the genus Isognathotermes (Termitidae: Cubitermitinae) with description of seven new species and four new subspecies Open
Cubitermitinae species whose workers have enteric valves of the fungifaber and finitimus patterns were previously gathered into the genus Isognathotermes. Here, we revise this genus, combining the morphological and anatomical features of a…
View article: Integrative taxonomy unravels the true identity of Linnaeus' <i>Termes fatalis</i> (Isoptera: Termitidae), the source of termites' name
Integrative taxonomy unravels the true identity of Linnaeus' <i>Termes fatalis</i> (Isoptera: Termitidae), the source of termites' name Open
The identity of Termes fatalis Linnaeus, the species that gave termites their name, is still controversial since recent molecular and chemical studies showed that at least two different taxa match its description. This paper aims to resolv…
View article: Nasutitermes aurantius (Isoptera, Termitidae, Nasutitermitinae), a new nasutiform termite species from Panama and a key to soldiers of Central American Nasutitermes Dudley, 1890
Nasutitermes aurantius (Isoptera, Termitidae, Nasutitermitinae), a new nasutiform termite species from Panama and a key to soldiers of Central American Nasutitermes Dudley, 1890 Open
Nasutitermes aurantius sp. nov. , is described from Central Panama. The soldier is unique among Central American Nasutitermes by its small size and orange head capsule coloration. The enteric valve armature is also unique among congeners. …
View article: Termites became the dominant decomposers of the tropics after two diversification pulses
Termites became the dominant decomposers of the tropics after two diversification pulses Open
Insects have the highest species richness among animals, but the extent of their diversity and the timing of their diversification remain unclear. Insect diversification is difficult to infer due to the incompleteness of the fossil record.…
View article: Horizontal gene transfers are widespread across termite genomes but do not confer metabolic innovations
Horizontal gene transfers are widespread across termite genomes but do not confer metabolic innovations Open
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT), the transmission of genetic material across species, is an important innovation source in prokaryotes. In contrast, its significance is unclear in many eukaryotes, including insects. Here, we used high-quali…
View article: Obtusitermes monomorphus, a new termite species (Isoptera: Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae) from Panama
Obtusitermes monomorphus, a new termite species (Isoptera: Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae) from Panama Open
Obtusitermes monomorphus sp. nov. is described from the monomorphic soldier and worker castes. The two described congeners, O. panamae (Snyder, 1924) and O. formosulus Cuezzo and Cancello, 2009 both have dimorphic soldiers and workers. It …
View article: Unravelling termite evolution with 47 high-resolution genome assemblies
Unravelling termite evolution with 47 high-resolution genome assemblies Open
Termites are a lineage of social cockroaches abundant in tropical ecosystems where they are key decomposers of organic matter from wood to soil. Despite their ecological significance, only a handful of reference-quality termite genomes hav…
View article: Termites and subsocial roaches inherited many bacterial-borne carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) from their common ancestor
Termites and subsocial roaches inherited many bacterial-borne carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) from their common ancestor Open
Termites digest wood using Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes (CAZymes) produced by gut bacteria with whom they have cospeciated at geological timescales. Whether CAZymes were encoded in the genomes of their ancestor's gut bacteria and transmitte…
View article: Evolutionary history of soil-feeding Neotropical termites reveals recent divergences linked to geologic-climatic influences
Evolutionary history of soil-feeding Neotropical termites reveals recent divergences linked to geologic-climatic influences Open
The Neotropics harbor a diverse array of flora and fauna shaped by a complex geological and climatic history. It includes marine invasions, pulses of Andean uplift, glaciations, and the uplift of the Panama Isthmus. These events have shape…
View article: How inquilinism shaped breeding systems in a termite host-inquiline relationship
How inquilinism shaped breeding systems in a termite host-inquiline relationship Open
Social insects have developed a broad diversity of nesting and foraging strategies. One of these, inquilinism, occurs when one species (the inquiline) inhabits the nest built and occupied by another species (the host). Obligatory inquiline…
View article: How inquilinism shaped breeding systems in a termite host‐inquiline relationship
How inquilinism shaped breeding systems in a termite host‐inquiline relationship Open
Social insects have developed a broad diversity of nesting and foraging strategies. One of these, inquilinism, occurs when one species (the inquiline) inhabits the nest built and occupied by another species (the host). Obligatory inquiline…
View article: Extinct and extant termites reveal the fidelity of behavior fossilization in amber
Extinct and extant termites reveal the fidelity of behavior fossilization in amber Open
Fossils encompassing multiple individuals provide rare direct evidence of behavioral interactions among extinct organisms. However, the fossilization process can alter the spatial relationship between individuals and hinder behavioral reco…
View article: Dating in the Dark: Elevated Substitution Rates in Cave Cockroaches (Blattodea: Nocticolidae) Have Negative Impacts on Molecular Date Estimates
Dating in the Dark: Elevated Substitution Rates in Cave Cockroaches (Blattodea: Nocticolidae) Have Negative Impacts on Molecular Date Estimates Open
Rates of nucleotide substitution vary substantially across the Tree of Life, with potentially confounding effects on phylogenetic and evolutionary analyses. A large acceleration in mitochondrial substitution rate occurs in the cockroach fa…
View article: Mitochondrial phylogenetics position a new Afrotropical termite species into its own subfamily, the Engelitermitinae (Blattodea: Termitidae)
Mitochondrial phylogenetics position a new Afrotropical termite species into its own subfamily, the Engelitermitinae (Blattodea: Termitidae) Open
While new species of termites are described every year, the description of species distant from every known termite species is rare. In this paper, we describe one such species, Engelitermes zambo sp.n. , an African Termitidae belonging to…
View article: Data from: Mitochondrial phylogenetics position a new Afrotropical termite species into its own subfamily, the Engelitermitinae (Blattodea: Termitidae)
Data from: Mitochondrial phylogenetics position a new Afrotropical termite species into its own subfamily, the Engelitermitinae (Blattodea: Termitidae) Open
While new species of termites are described every year, the description of species distant from every known termite species is rare. In this paper, we describe one such species, Engelitermes zambo sp. n., an African Termitidae belonging to…
View article: Data from: Mitochondrial phylogenetics position a new Afrotropical termite species into its own subfamily, the Engelitermitinae (Blattodea: Termitidae)
Data from: Mitochondrial phylogenetics position a new Afrotropical termite species into its own subfamily, the Engelitermitinae (Blattodea: Termitidae) Open
While new species of termites are described every year, the description of species distant from every known termite species is rare. In this paper, we describe one such species, Engelitermes zambo sp. n., an African Termitidae belonging to…
View article: Evidence of cospeciation between termites and their gut bacteria on a geological time scale
Evidence of cospeciation between termites and their gut bacteria on a geological time scale Open
Termites host diverse communities of gut microbes, including many bacterial lineages only found in this habitat. The bacteria endemic to termite guts are transmitted via two routes: a vertical route from parent colonies to daughter colonie…
View article: Extinct and extant termites reveal the fidelity of behavior fossilization in amber
Extinct and extant termites reveal the fidelity of behavior fossilization in amber Open
Fossils encompassing multiple individuals provide rare direct evidence of behavioral interactions among extinct organisms. However, the fossilization process can alter the spatial relationship between individuals and hinder behavioral reco…
View article: Neoisoptera repeatedly colonised Madagascar after the Middle Miocene climatic optimum
Neoisoptera repeatedly colonised Madagascar after the Middle Miocene climatic optimum Open
Madagascar is home to many endemic plant and animal species owing to its ancient isolation from other landmasses. This unique fauna includes several lineages of termites, a group of insects known for their key role in organic matter decomp…
View article: Transcriptomic profiling of castes and of sexually and parthenogenetically produced reproductive females in the termite <i>Cavitermes tuberosus</i>
Transcriptomic profiling of castes and of sexually and parthenogenetically produced reproductive females in the termite <i>Cavitermes tuberosus</i> Open
In termites with a true worker caste, the development pattern splits up from early developmental stages: primary reproductives develop through the nymphal line, whereas workers and soldiers follow the apterous developmental line. In some s…
View article: Dating in the Dark: Elevated Substitution Rates in Cave Cockroaches (Blattodea: Nocticolidae) Have Negative Impacts on Molecular Date Estimates
Dating in the Dark: Elevated Substitution Rates in Cave Cockroaches (Blattodea: Nocticolidae) Have Negative Impacts on Molecular Date Estimates Open
Rates of nucleotide substitution vary substantially across the Tree of Life, with potentially confounding effects on phylogenetic and evolutionary analyses. A large acceleration in mitochondrial substitution rate occurs in the cockroach fa…
View article: Supplementary tables from Evidence of cospeciation between termites and their gut bacteria on a geological time scale
Supplementary tables from Evidence of cospeciation between termites and their gut bacteria on a geological time scale Open
Termites host diverse communities of gut microbes, including many bacterial lineages only found in this habitat. The bacteria endemic to termite guts are transmitted via two routes: a vertical route from parent colonies to daughter colonie…
View article: Supplementary tables from Evidence of cospeciation between termites and their gut bacteria on a geological time scale
Supplementary tables from Evidence of cospeciation between termites and their gut bacteria on a geological time scale Open
Termites host diverse communities of gut microbes, including many bacterial lineages only found in this habitat. The bacteria endemic to termite guts are transmitted via two routes: a vertical route from parent colonies to daughter colonie…
View article: Supplementary tables from Evidence of cospeciation between termites and their gut bacteria on a geological time scale
Supplementary tables from Evidence of cospeciation between termites and their gut bacteria on a geological time scale Open
Termites host diverse communities of gut microbes, including many bacterial lineages only found in this habitat. The bacteria endemic to termite guts are transmitted via two routes: a vertical route from parent colonies to daughter colonie…