EVALUATION OF THE TERMINOLOGY ON ECOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS IN THE TERMITE MOUNDS

The term inquiline is used in Ecology as a positive-neutral interaction between inquiline-host. 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. Termitophiles are those interacting with the termite builder. Our aim was to verify if the terms used in the scientific literature are in agreement with the Termitology classification of inquiline, termitariophiles and termitophiles. We made a survey in the database https://scholar.google.com.br/ until the year 2015, using the terms inquiline termite, termitariophil* e termitophil*. Of 233 publications, we selected 164 that were studies about Termitology. We then read these 164 articles in order to identify if the interaction was with the termite builder or just inhabits the mounds. 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. In conclusion, 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.