Final answer:
In termite colonies, the division of labor among individual insects is known as castes. These castes include different roles such as workers, soldiers, and reproductive individuals (kings and queens) that contribute to the survival and functioning of their highly organized social structure.
Step-by-step explanation:
Termites live in true social colonies with a division of labor among the various types of individual insects, which are known as castes. These social insects, like some other eusocial species such as ants, bees, and wasps, have highly organized systems where individuals are specialized for various roles. These roles can include reproducing (kings and queens), caring for the young, gathering food, or defending the nest (soldiers).
In termite colonies, these castes are essential for the survival and efficiency of their complex social structure. The worker termites gather food and maintain the nest, the soldiers defend the colony, and the reproductive termites (kings and queens) are responsible for producing new offspring that will sustain the colony's future. This division of labor ensures that the colony operates smoothly and each termite contributes to the colony's success in different ways.
Colonies of termites and other eusocial insects can consist of millions of individuals working together as a cohesive unit, demonstrating the highly evolved nature of their social systems.