Oligocene Termite Nests with In Situ Fungus Gardens from the Rukwa Rift Basin, Tanzania, Support a Paleogene African Origin for Insect Agriculture

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dc.contributor.authorRoberts, Eric M.
dc.contributor.authorTodd, Christopher N.
dc.contributor.authorAanen, Duur K.
dc.contributor.authorNobre, Tânia
dc.contributor.authorHilbertWolf, Hannah L.
dc.contributor.authorO’Connor, Patrick M.
dc.contributor.authorTapanila, Leif
dc.contributor.authorMtelela, Cassy
dc.contributor.authorStevens, Nancy J.
dc.date.accessioned2018-09-07T10:14:52Z
dc.date.available2018-09-07T10:14:52Z
dc.date.issued2016-06-22
dc.description.abstractBased on molecular dating, the origin of insect agriculture is hypothesized to have taken place independently in three clades of fungus-farming insects: the termites, ants or mbrosia beetles during the Paleogene (66–24 Ma). Yet, definitive fossil evidence of fungus-growing behavior has been elusive, with no unequivocal records prior to the late Miocene (7–10Ma). Here we report fossil evidence of insect agriculture in the form of fossil fungus gardens, preserved within 25 Ma termite nests from southwestern Tanzania. Using these well-dated fossil fungus gardens, we have recalibrated molecular divergence estimates for the origins of termite agriculture to around 31 Ma, lending support to hypotheses suggesting an African Paleogene origin for termite-fungus symbiosis; perhaps coinciding with rift initiation and changes in the African landscape.en_US
dc.identifier.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0156847
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11810/4818
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.titleOligocene Termite Nests with In Situ Fungus Gardens from the Rukwa Rift Basin, Tanzania, Support a Paleogene African Origin for Insect Agricultureen_US
dc.typeJournal Article, Peer Revieweden_US
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