Journal article
Tales from the crypt: a parasitoid manipulates the behaviour of its parasite host
Proceedings of the Royal Society. B, Biological sciences, Vol.284(1847), pp.20162365-20162365
01/25/2017
DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.2365
PMCID: PMC5310038
PMID: 28123089
Abstract
There are many examples of apparent manipulation of host phenotype by parasites, yet few examples of hypermanipulation—where a phenotype-manipulating parasite is itself manipulated by a parasite. Moreover, few studies confirm manipulation is occurring by quantifying whether the host's changed phenotype increases parasite fitness. Here we describe a novel case of hypermanipulation, in which the crypt gall wasp Bassettia pallida (a phenotypic manipulator of its tree host) is manipulated by the parasitoid crypt-keeper wasp Euderus set , and show that the host's changed behaviour increases parasitoid fitness. Bassettia pallida parasitizes sand live oaks and induces the formation of a ‘crypt’ within developing stems. When parasitized by E. set , B. pallida adults excavate an emergence hole in the crypt wall, plug the hole with their head and die. We show experimentally that this phenomenon benefits E. set , as E. set that need to excavate an emergence hole themselves are about three times more likely to die trapped in the crypt. In addition, we discuss museum and field data to explore the distribution of the crypt-keeping phenomena.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Tales from the crypt: a parasitoid manipulates the behaviour of its parasite host
- Creators
- Kelly L Weinersmith - Department of BioSciences, Rice University, MS-140, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USASean M Liu - Department of BioSciences, Rice University, MS-140, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USAAndrew A Forbes - Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USAScott P Egan - Department of BioSciences, Rice University, MS-140, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Proceedings of the Royal Society. B, Biological sciences, Vol.284(1847), pp.20162365-20162365
- DOI
- 10.1098/rspb.2016.2365
- PMID
- 28123089
- PMCID
- PMC5310038
- NLM abbreviation
- Proc Biol Sci
- ISSN
- 0962-8452
- eISSN
- 1471-2954
- Grant note
- name: BioSciences Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Undergraduate Fellowship; name: Huxley Faculty Fellowship in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Rice University
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 01/25/2017
- Academic Unit
- Biology; University College Courses
- Record Identifier
- 9984217411702771
Metrics
22 Record Views