Fig. 1

a Caste differentiation pathways in the two termite species studied here: Zootermopsis nevadensis (left) and Hodotermopsis sjostedti (right). Abbreviations are: E, egg; L, larva, i.e., immatures without wing buds; PE, pseudergate; N, nymph, i.e., immatures with wing buds/pads; A, alate; Neo, neotenic; PS, presoldier; S, soldier. b Nymphal stages of the two species that were focused on in this study. In this study, the last nymphal instar was divided into several stages in order to understand the developmental processes. Abbreviations are: N1, first-instar nymph; N2E, early second-instar nymph; and N2L, late second-instar nymph in Z. nevadensis, and NE, early nymph; NM, mid-nymph, and NL, late nymph in H. sjostedti