OPM Termite Practice Exam

What aspect of the termite physical structure limits its ability to see?

1. Soldiers and workers are blind

2. They have only compound eyes

3. They lack antennae

4. They have no need for vision

The correct answer is: Soldiers and workers are blind

The choice indicating that soldiers and workers are blind accurately captures a critical aspect of termite physiology. In many termite species, the soldiers and workers are indeed blind, adapting their functional roles to other senses and environmental cues. This blindness is a result of their specific adaptations to their social structure and ecological niche. Soldier termites, for instance, have evolved to protect the colony rather than forage or navigate, which emphasizes their reliance on alternative methods of communication and environmental awareness, such as vibrations and chemical signals. Workers focus on maintaining the nest and caring for the young, tasks that do not require advanced vision capabilities. While it is true that other termite castes, like reproductive individuals, have compound eyes that allow them to see, the fundamental limitation to visual capacity in the majority of a colony's members—namely, the soldiers and workers—illustrates the ecological and evolutionary roles these forms play in the survival of the species. Thus, the fact that soldiers and workers are blind highlights the unique adaptations within termite populations that prioritize their social organization and roles over the need for vision.