A PhD
position is available for 3 years at the Laboratory of Experimental and
Comparative Ethology (LEEC, University Paris 13, France).
Phylogeography
of the Neotropical soil-feeding termite Embiratermes
neotenicus (Termitidae, Syntermitinae) in South America
Soil-feeding
species occur in several lineages of Termitidae (most evolved termite family)
and represent over one-third of all described termite species. Soil feeders are
especially abundant and diversified in humid tropical forests, where they largely
contribute to the soil humification process. It was proposed that soil feeders
were poor passive dispersers over water gaps because their colonies are usually
located in the soil or soil-made nests and are unlikely to raft over water
gaps, contrary to wood feeders frequently drifting in wood pieces. Up to date,
only two genetic study investigated the dispersal potential of alates in soil
feeders in pristine habitats, i.e. Fournier et al. (2016) in Cavitermes tuberosus and Fougeyrollas et
al. (2018) in Embiratermes neotenicus
and Silvestritermes minutus. Beside
their typical soil-feeding ecology, our interest in these two last species was
further prompted by their unusual breeding system: asexual queen succession. In
this system, the founding primary queen is replaced by numerous neotenic
daughters arising through thelytokous parthenogenesis. The neotenics then take
over the reproduction of the colony and mate with the founder king. While the
breeding system of E. neotenicus is
now well known, the reproduction of colonies, i.e. the dispersal and mating
strategies, remain to be investigated at a large scale, i.e. in South America
where this species occurs. Therefore, we aim to study population genetics and
phylogeography (i.e. study of the principles and processes governing the
geographical distributions of genealogical lineages, including those at the
intraspecific level) of Embiratermes
neotenicus in South America. Molecular analyses will be performed on
samples collected in many different countries from South America. This will
allow us:
(1) to
determine whether it includes genetically and geographically distinct lineages,
(2) to
elucidate its demographic history (diversification events),
(3) to infer
biogeographic scenarios.
We are
seeking a highly motivated candidate with a Master degree in a relevant area
(ethology, behavioral ecology, genetics or entomology). We expect successful
candidates to write scientific papers on the project in internationally peer-reviewed
journals, and to present the research at national and international meetings.
Working language is French or English. Possibility of doing teaching in French
only.
Please submit
your application (CV + motivation letter + contacts of two potential referees,
pdf format) to both D. Sillam-Dussès (sillamdusses@univ-paris13.fr)
and V. Roy (roy@upec.fr)
until May 20th, 2019.
Relevant
publications
Fougeyrollas
R, Dolejšová K, Sillam-Dussès D, Roy V, Hanus R, Roisin Y (2015) Asexual queen
succession in the higher termite Embiratermes
neotenicus. Proc R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 282:20150260.
Fougeyrollas
R, Křivánek J, Roy V, Dolejšová K, Frechault S, Roisin Y, Hanus R,
Sillam-Dussès D (2017) Asexual queen succession mediates an accelerated colony
life cycle in the termite Silvestritermes
minutus. Mol Ecol 26:3295–3308.
Fougeyrollas
R, Dolejšová K, Křivánek J, Sillam-Dussès D, Roisin Y, Hanus R, Roy V (2018)
Dispersal and mating strategies in two neotropical soil-feeding termites, Embiratermes neotenicus and Silvestritermes minutus (Termitidae,
Syntermitinae). Insectes Sociaux. 65:251-262.
Fournier D,
Hellemans S, Hanus R, Roisin Y (2016) Facultative asexual reproduction and
genetic diversity of populations in the humivorous termite Cavitermes tuberosus. Proc R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 283:20160196