Evaluation of markers for Australian subterranean termites (Isoptera Rhinotermitidae & Termitidae)

A laboratory study tested 9 spray paints and 16 histological stains as potential markers on 3 termite species: Coptotermes frenchi and C. lacteus (Rhinotermitidae) and Nasutitermes exitiosus (Termitidae; Nasutitermitinae). There were marked differences in response to the stains between species. Only Nile blue was reliable enough to be used as a marker in mark-recapture studies, without reservation on the workers, but with some uncertainty on the soldiers of the 3 species. There were no other reliable, long-term markers identified in this study for either Coptotermes species, but Sudan yellow and Sudan green met most criteria for a reliable marker for N. exitiosus. Sudan red, Sudan black and Sudan green might be useful as short-term markers in foraging movement studies for Coptotermes spp.