To navigate effectively, an animal must align its body with its intended target and adjust its course as needed. In insects, this critical navigational process is governed by specific neurons located in a brain region known as the central complex (CX). However, the precise roles of CX subregions, such as the noduli, remain to be thoroughly explored. Interestingly, the development of noduli in termites seems to be associated with their transition from nymphs to reproductive forms, providing us with a unique opportunity to analyze how goal-oriented movements are generated by the neural circuits of the CX, both with and without noduli, which our project aims to investigate.
We will analyze the goal directed behavior of various termite castes and correlate the behavior with the presence or absence of CX noduli in a controlled laboratory setting. This research aims to uncover the evolutionary shift in termites from a primitive state (without noduli) to a more advanced CX, paralleling the significant evolutionary transition from wingless to winged insects.
Methods: The student will conduct behavioral analyses utilizing machine learning-based automatic tracking. These behavioral observations will be integrated with a quantitative 3D neuroanatomical analysis of termite brains through immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy.
We are able to host two bachelor’s students.
If you are interested in termites, insects and the topic itself get in touch with:
Dr. Ayse Yilmaz-Heusinger, Lund Vision Group