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Data from: Balancing risk and opportunity: Nasute termite responses to predator and competitor chemical cues

Silva, Aline do Nascimento Filgueira1; de Lira Filho, Lázaro1; Silva, Laura S. A.1; de Mendonça, Thiago H. C.1; Watanabe, Sara Yuri M.1; Araújo, Ana Paula A.2; Cristaldo, Paulo Fellipe1

Published Feb 18, 2026 on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.cvdncjtj0

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Feb 18, 2026 version files 55.22 KB
Feb 18, 2026 version files 55.22 KB

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Abstract

 Animals frequently rely on indirect information to make foraging decisions under uncertainty. In social insects, chemical cues from other species may convey information about both predation risk and resource availability, yet how these cues are integrated during resource selection remains poorly understood. Here, we investigate how the termite Nasutitermes corniger responds to chemical cues from predators and competitors during resource selection. Using controlled laboratory bioassays, we tested termite preferences for food resources associated with cues from a predatory ant (Pheidole sp.) and a competing termite species. Predator cues consistently reduced resource selection, indicating avoidance driven by perceived predation risk. In contrast, resources associated with competitor cues were preferentially selected, suggesting that these cues function as informative signals rather than purely competitive deterrents. Our results demonstrate that termites discriminate between heterospecific chemical cues and integrate them to balance risk and opportunity during foraging. These findings highlight the role of chemical information in shaping resource selection decisions and contribute to a broader understanding of how social insects use indirect cues to navigate complex ecological trade-offs.