Proctodeal Feeding by Termitophilous Staphylinidae Associated with Reticulitermes virginicus (Banks).
Trichopsenius depressus Le Conte, Xenistusa hexagonalis Seevers, and Philotermes howardi Kistner and Gut solicit and receive proctodeal and stomodeal fluids from their host, as well as engage in allogrooming with them. No other trophic behaviors were observed, suggesting that the beetles are completely integrated into the termite's trophic system.
Howard
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