Search results for "manipulative parasite"
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Do distantly related parasites rely on the same proximate factors to alter the behaviour of their hosts?
2006
Phylogenetically unrelated parasites often increase the chances of their transmission by inducing similar phenotypic changes in their hosts. However, it is not known whether these convergent strategies rely on the same biochemical precursors. In this paper, we explored such aspects by studying two gammarid species ( Gammarus insensibilis and Gammarus pulex ; Crustacea: Amphipoda: Gammaridae) serving as intermediate hosts in the life cycle of two distantly related parasites: the trematode, Microphallus papillorobustus and the acanthocephalan, Polymorphus minutus . Both these parasite species are known to manipulate the behaviour of their amphipod hosts, bringing them towards the water surfa…
Pairing success and sperm reserve of male Gammarus pulex infected by Cyathocephalus truncatus (Cestoda: Spathebothriidea).
2011
SUMMARYManipulative parasites with complex life cycles are known to induce behavioural and physiological changes in their intermediate hosts. Cyathocephalus truncatus is a manipulative parasite which infects Gammarus pulex as intermediate host. G. pulex males display pre-copulatory mate guarding as a response to male-male competition for access to receptive females. In this paper, we tested the influence that C. truncatus-infection might have on male G. pulex sperm number and pairing success. We considered 3 classes of G. pulex males in our experiments: (i) uninfected males found paired in the field, (ii) uninfected males found unpaired in the field, or (iii) infected males found unpaired i…