EVALUATION OF THE TERMINOLOGY ON ECOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS IN THE TERMITE MOUNDS

<p>The termite mound is a robust construction with an internal ventilation system and small openings that favor the entrance of other species of termites (inquilines) and other animals (termitariophiles and/or termitophiles). The term inquiline is commonly used in Ecology as a positive-neutral interaction between inquiline-host. However, in Termitology, inquiline is a restricted term for termites living in mounds built by other species (the termite builder), with which they can establish a species-specific relationship. Termitariophiles are species of invertebrates/ vertebrates that only inhabit termite mounds and those interacting with the termite builder, termitophiles. The aim of this work was to verify if the terms used in the scientific literature are in agreement with the Termitology classification in inquiline, termitariophiles and termitophiles. A survey was made in the database https://scholar.google.com.br/ until the year 2015, using the terms inquiline termite, termitariophil* e termitophil*. Of 233 publications with these terms, 164 were selected that were studies about Termitology. Most of the studies were performed in the Neotropical region, of which 78% in Brazil and 42% in the Cerrado. Of the 30 genera of termite builders that shelter inquilines, the most common are: \textit{Nasutitermes} (16%), \textit{Cornitermes} (11%), \textit{Constrictotermes} and \textit{Odontotermes} with 9% each. In the Cerrado stands out as obligatory inquilines \textit{Serritermes serrifer} with \textit{Cornitermes cumulans}, \textit{Inquilinitermes fur} and \textit{Inquilinitermes microcerus} with \textit{Constrictotermes cyphergaster}. The term inquiline was used in 40.5% of publications for other species of insects, spiders, frogs, birds and rodents. In 76% of the publications the insects were cited as termitophiles, of which 65% are species of Staphylinidae (Coleoptera). In 44% of the publications that reported the occurrence of termitophiles in the mounds, they were termitariophiles. The term termitariophiles was used correctly in three publications, about Isopoda, Coleoptera e Hymenoptera. The terms termitophile and termitariophile are not well known outside of Termitology and the term inquiline can be used as a distinct ecological interaction in Ecology, which explains the misuse of these terms by researchers who are not from the area.