Jurassic Termite Nests

["Richard W. Travsky" <rtravsky@uwyo.edu>]

Abstract

http://www.bioone.org/bioone/?request=get-abstract&issn=0883-1351&volume=019&issue=01&page=0068

 Sandstone pillars in the Lower Jurassic eolian strata of the Clarens
 Formation are concentrated in clusters, with up to four pillars within 25
 m2 in two localities in the Tuli Basin of northern South Africa and
 southern Zimbabwe. The pillars are generally vertical, have a preserved
 height of up to 3.3 m, and are elliptical in plan view. Pillars are
 grouped into two styles of architecture: those with oriented elliptical
 shapes and side buttresses, and those less well oriented with a smooth
 outer wall, internal open spaces, and vertical shafts cutting the pillar.
 The long axes of the elliptical pillars are generally oriented to the
 north. Northwards-oriented side buttresses also are associated with some
 of the pillars. The internal architecture of the pillars is characterized
 by intense bioturbation with two different burrowing styles. Type 1
 burrows are composed of a network of randomly oriented, anastomosing
 sandstone-filled tubes, 0.3 to 0.8 cm in diameter. Type 2 burrows are
 rare, north-south oriented, and have a smaller diameter. Other associated
 features are back-filled tubes, open, vertical shafts, and open spaces
 between the interior and exterior of the pillars.

 The pillars are interpreted as fossilized termite nests. Type 1 burrows
 are interpreted as termite passageways within the nest. Type 2 burrows
 may be related to invading ants. Back-filled burrows may be a result of
 either beetle predation on resident termites or backfilling by termites
 themselves. The strong north-south orientations are comparable with
 modern-day nest architecture of magnetic termites in northern Australia,
 where nest-orientation is related to cooling. The orientations and
 features reported here are interpreted to be modified for the high
 latitudes proposed for the Lower Jurassic Clarens desert. Complex nest
 architecture preserved in the Clarens Formation suggests that advanced
 eusocial behavior and ability to construct large nests had appeared in
 African termites by the Early Jurassic.


Science News has a nice article on this (subscription required)

 http://63.240.200.111/articles/20040228/fob6.asp