Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How do young lower termites acquire the protozoans needed for digestion?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
termite
A termite nest in a tropical rainforest.
Young lower termites acquire the essential protozoans required for cellulose digestion through a process known as anal feeding.1
In this process, older, infected termites discharge a pastelike liquid or droplet from their anus, which is then licked away by the dependent nymphs. This fluid contains the necessary symbiotic flagellate protozoa that reside in the termite hindgut. Because these protozoans are lost whenever a termite undergoes a molt, newly hatched nymphs and molting individuals must rely on this social interaction with nonmolting, infected colony members to reacquire the microorganisms vital for their survival.1