TY - JOUR
T1 - A new zombie ant behavior unraveled
T2 - Aggregating on tree trunks
AU - Imirzian, Natalie
AU - Araújo, João P.M.
AU - Hughes, David P.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2020/11
Y1 - 2020/11
N2 - Hosts can be manipulated by parasites to move to locations advantageous for onward transmission. To investigate the role of behavioral manipulation in creating transmission hotspots, we studied the distribution of zombie turtle ants in the Amazon rainforest. The turtle ant Cephalotes atratus nests and mostly forages in the canopy, but is found at the base of trees when infected with the zombie ant fungus Ophiocordyceps kniphofioides. We found 626 infected cadavers on 14.8% of 162 trees sampled. Cadavers were highly aggregated on the surface of the trees, explained by behavioral observations indicating infected ants as slightly attracted to zombie ant cadavers on a tree. From 1,726 h of camera footage, we recorded the removal of three zombie ant cadavers by live ants. The number of removals compared to the density of infected individuals indicates the base of a tree as an escape from the evolved ability of social insects to recognize and treat disease inside the nest, allowing the parasite to continuously remain in the environment.
AB - Hosts can be manipulated by parasites to move to locations advantageous for onward transmission. To investigate the role of behavioral manipulation in creating transmission hotspots, we studied the distribution of zombie turtle ants in the Amazon rainforest. The turtle ant Cephalotes atratus nests and mostly forages in the canopy, but is found at the base of trees when infected with the zombie ant fungus Ophiocordyceps kniphofioides. We found 626 infected cadavers on 14.8% of 162 trees sampled. Cadavers were highly aggregated on the surface of the trees, explained by behavioral observations indicating infected ants as slightly attracted to zombie ant cadavers on a tree. From 1,726 h of camera footage, we recorded the removal of three zombie ant cadavers by live ants. The number of removals compared to the density of infected individuals indicates the base of a tree as an escape from the evolved ability of social insects to recognize and treat disease inside the nest, allowing the parasite to continuously remain in the environment.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jip.2020.107499
DO - 10.1016/j.jip.2020.107499
M3 - Article
C2 - 33129891
AN - SCOPUS:85096167473
SN - 0022-2011
VL - 177
JO - Journal of invertebrate pathology
JF - Journal of invertebrate pathology
M1 - 107499
ER -