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What the sources say

Mound-Building TermiteMacrotermes bellicosus

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Mound-Building Termite profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 51 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Elsner, Meusemann & Korb 2018

Elsner, Meusemann & Korb (2018). Longevity and transposon defense, the case of termite reproductives. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The page saysQueens and kings are known to live as long as 20 years in the lab
The source saysQueens and kings are known to live as long as 20 y in the laboratoryNote: Methods, about the M. bellicosus queens and kings studied
The page saysworkers live only a few months
The source saysworkers have a lifespan of only a few months
The page saysQueens and kings that can live as long as 20 years
The source saysThis species has one of the highest longevity skews (80–120 fold) of all social insects, with queens and kings living as long as 20 yNote: stats.superpower; species scope
The page saysNot Evaluated
The source saysMacrotermes bellicosus (Smeathman, 1781)Note: stats.conservationStatus: no quoted page says Not Evaluated. GBIF and Crossref list no Red List assessment for M. bellicosus or its synonyms (prefetch found none; the Crossref synonym searches returned HTTP 429).
The page saysQueens of its genus, Macrotermes, are specialized egg-layers that produce about 20,000 eggs a day
The source saysMacrotermes queens are specialized egg-layers that produce ca. 20,000 eggs per dayNote: genus scope, as the source words it; 'ca.' = about
The page saysGiven how long they live, the researchers call them probably the most fecund terrestrial animals
The source saysGiven their long lifespan, they are probably the most fecund terrestrial animals.
The page saysIn one wild study population in Ivory Coast, a colony's median life expectancy once its mound appears is 6 years
The source saysin the study population, the median lifetime expectancy after reaching the epigeal mound phase is 6 yNote: 'epigeal mound' = above-ground mound; wild: 'sampled from field colonies'; Ivory Coast: see the Kakpin claim
The page saysArmy ants that kill whole colonies are the major cause of chance deaths there once colonies are established
The source sayscommon occurrence of army ants that kill complete colonies and function as the major cause of random extrinsic mortality after colonies are established
The page saysWorkers are completely sterile
The source saysWhereas workers are completely sterile
The page saysThere are two worker castes, called majors and minors
The source saysbellicosus has two worker castes, majors and minors
The page saysMinors mostly work indoors, caring for young and building the mound
The source saysMinor workers are mainly involved in “indoor” tasks, such as brood care and constructing mounds
The page saysThey are female and can develop into soldiers
The source saysthey are females and can develop into soldiers
The page saysMajors are male and generally do the more dangerous jobs, like foraging for food
The source saysMajor workers have a higher random extrinsic mortality already early in life, as they generally do the more dangerous tasks like foraging for food; they are males
The page saysarmy ants kill complete colonies and are the major cause of random deaths after colonies are established
The source sayscommon occurrence of army ants that kill complete colonies and function as the major cause of random extrinsic mortality after colonies are established
The page saysthe estimated median lifespan of 36 mounds
The source saysThe median longevity after emergence of an epigeal mound in our study site was estimated with Kaplan–Meier survival analysis for 36 mounds
The page sayswhose queens and kings can live as long as 20 years in the lab
The source saysQueens and kings are known to live as long as 20 y in the laboratoryNote: tagline
The page saysTwo kinds of workers
The source saysbellicosus has two worker castes, majors and minorsNote: heading
The page sayswhile workers live only a few months
The source saysworkers have a lifespan of only a few months
The page saysIvory Coast
The source saysThe M. bellicosus samples were collected in Kakpin, next to the Comoé National Park in Côte d’Ivoire
The page saysA queen built for eggs
The source saysMacrotermes queens are specialized egg-layersNote: heading
The page saysAt Kakpin, next to the Comoé National Park
The source saysThe M. bellicosus samples were collected in Kakpin, next to the Comoé National Park in Côte d’Ivoire
The page says6 years after they emerged
The source saysin the study population, the median lifetime expectancy after reaching the epigeal mound phase is 6 y
The page sayswhile its workers live only a few months
The source saysworkers have a lifespan of only a few monthsNote: tagline

Source
02

Hinze & Leuthold 1999

Hinze & Leuthold (1999). Age related polyethism and activity rhythms in the nest of the termite Macrotermes bellicosus (Isoptera, Termitidae). Insectes Sociaux.

The page saysIn a study that tracked marked workers, they moved from caring for the queen to foraging between day 13 and day 25 after their moult into adults for majors, and between day 9 and day 32 for minors
The source saysWith increasing age the workers change from the care of the queen to foraging activity. This change of activity from tasks inside the nest to tasks outside the nest took place between day 13 and 25 after adult moult for major and between day 9 and 32 after adult moult for minor workers.Note: marked workers: 'investigated by using a newly developed marking method in combination with metal and photo detectors'
The page saysTheir traffic to a foraging arena was highest at 20:00 in the evening and lowest at 7:00 in the morning
The source saysThe overall activity to the foraging arena revealed a clear 24-h rhythm, with the highest activity in the evening at 20:00 h and the lowest activity in the morning at 7:00 h.
The page saysWorkers change jobs as they age
The source saysWith increasing age the workers change from the care of the queen to foraging activity

Source
03

Korb & Linsenmair 1999

Korb & Linsenmair (1999). Reproductive success of Macrotermes bellicosus (Isoptera, Macrotermitinae) in two neighbouring habitats. Oecologia.

The page saysAfrican savannah, where colonies reach high densities; rarer in forest, and only in relatively open areas
The source sayscan reach high densities in African savannah habitats, whereas in forests it is comparatively rare and is only found in relatively open areasNote: stats.habitat
The page saysa fungus-growing, mound-building termite from Africa
The source saysThe fungus-cultivating, mound-building termite Macrotermes bellicosus can reach high densities in African savannah habitats
The page saysColonies reach high densities in African savannah, while in forests they are comparatively rare and found only in relatively open areas
The source sayscan reach high densities in African savannah habitats, whereas in forests it is comparatively rare and is only found in relatively open areas
The page sayssavannah colonies reproduced annually, producing high numbers of offspring called alates
The source saysThey reproduced annually, producing high numbers of offspring (alates)
The page saysForest colonies reproduced on average only once every 3 years
The source saysforest colonies reproduced on average only once every 3 years
The page saysIn a three-year study of both habitats
The source saysDuring 3 consecutive years we measured relevant fitness parameters in both habitats

Source
04

Korb 2003

Korb (2003). Thermoregulation and ventilation of termite mounds. Naturwissenschaften.

The page saysSavannah mounds have a very efficient circular airflow during the day
The source saysmounds in the thermally appropriate savannah have a very efficient circular ventilation during the day
The page saysIn the cooler forest, air moves upward less efficiently
The source saysthe ventilation in the cooler forest is a less efficient upward movement of air
The page saysSavannah mounds have a very efficient circular airflow during the day
The source saysmounds in the thermally appropriate savannah have a very efficient circular ventilation during the dayNote: vibe.reason animal clause; same quote as the body claim

Source
05

Korb & Linsenmair 1998

Korb & Linsenmair (1998). Experimental heating of Macrotermes bellicosus (Isoptera, Macrotermitinae) mounds: what role does microclimate play in influencing mound architecture? Insectes Sociaux.

The page saysmounds in the cooler gallery forest are dome-shaped with thick walls
The source saysMounds in the cooler, but thermally more stable gallery forest have been shown to be dome-shaped with thick walls
The page sayssavannah mounds are more complex, with many ridges and thin walls
The source sayswhereas mounds in the shrub savanna are more complex with many ridges and thin walls
The page saysForest and savannah mounds
The source saysMounds of the fungus-cultivating termite Macrotermes bellicosus (Smeathman) in the Comoé-National Park (Ivory Coast, West Africa) differ in architecture between habitatsNote: blockquote lead-in; the forest and savannah habitats compared in the next sentence
The page saysIn Ivory Coast's Comoé National Park
The source saysMounds of the fungus-cultivating termite Macrotermes bellicosus (Smeathman) in the Comoé-National Park (Ivory Coast, West Africa) differ in architecture between habitats

Source
06

Ejomah, Uyi & Ekaye 2020

Ejomah, Uyi & Ekaye (2020). Exposure of the African mound building termite, Macrotermes bellicosus workers to commercially formulated 2,4-D and atrazine caused high mortality and impaired locomotor response. PLOS ONE.

The page saysA fungus-farming termite
The source saysMacrotermes bellicosus cultivate fungi of the genus Termitomyces (Termitomyceteae: Tricholomataceae: Basidiomycota) on special structures within the nest called fungus combsNote: tagline
The page saysin a colony that grows its own fungus
The source saysMacrotermes bellicosus cultivate fungi of the genus Termitomyces (Termitomyceteae: Tricholomataceae: Basidiomycota) on special structures within the nest called fungus combsNote: stats.superpower
The page saysDead wood, grass litter and dung, with a Termitomyces fungus grown on fungus combs
The source saysThe principal food source of M . bellicosus consists of dead wood, grass litter, and dungNote: stats.diet
The page saysThese termites grow a fungus of the genus Termitomyces on fungus combs inside the nest
The source saysMacrotermes bellicosus cultivate fungi of the genus Termitomyces (Termitomyceteae: Tricholomataceae: Basidiomycota) on special structures within the nest called fungus combs
The page saysThe two live in an obligate mutualistic symbiosis
The source sayslive in an obligate mutualistic symbiosis with the fungi
The page saysThe termites' main food is dead wood, grass litter and dung
The source saysThe principal food source of M . bellicosus consists of dead wood, grass litter, and dung
The page saysTheir principal food source is dead wood, grass litter and dung
The source saysThe principal food source of M . bellicosus consists of dead wood, grass litter, and dung
The page saysThey also farm a fungus, Termitomyces, on special structures within the nest called fungus combs, and the two depend on each other
The source sayslive in an obligate mutualistic symbiosis with the fungi
The page saysThey also farm a fungus, Termitomyces, on special structures within the nest called fungus combs
The source saysMacrotermes bellicosus cultivate fungi of the genus Termitomyces (Termitomyceteae: Tricholomataceae: Basidiomycota) on special structures within the nest called fungus combs
The page saysFungus farmers
The source saysMacrotermes bellicosus cultivate fungi of the genus TermitomycesNote: heading

Source
07

Kinyuru et al. 2013

Kinyuru et al. (2013). Nutrient composition of four species of winged termites consumed in western Kenya. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis.

The page saysIn western Kenya, people eat winged termites of four species, including this one
The source saysMacrotermes subhylanus, Pseudacanthotermes militaris, Macrotermes bellicosus and Pseudacanthotermes spiniger termite species consumed in western Kenya
The page saysAcross the four species, fat was 44.82 to 47.31 g per 100 g and protein 33.51 to 39.74 g per 100 g
The source saysThe fat content was 44.82–47.31g/100g, protein 33.51–39.74g/100g

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.