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1
Hurd, Hilary, and Richard Lane. "Parasite-insect interactions: reciprocal manipulation." Parasitology 116, S1 (1998): S1—S2. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0031182000084882.
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It is probably a truism to say that what seems to be a single organism is, in fact, an assemblage of organisms – for there can hardly be an individual living outside a specialized laboratory that does not have commensals or parasites living within. The insects, the most diverse and numerous group of organisms on earth are no exception, and with micro- and macro-parasites from a wide range of taxa generate a remarkable range of interspecific associations. In some cases the insect is the sole host, in others it is an intermediate host or vector. It is the latter relationship which attracts much attention when insects and arachnids transmit infectious agents to humans, their animals or crops. Knowledge of the parasites of insects provides us with an opportunity to develop novel control methods for pests. Despite the diverse and widespread nature of insect infections, their impact on human well-being and the opportunity they give us to understand the complexity of the natural world, the subject remains a surprisingly neglected field. In this volume we endeavour to draw the veil from the 'black-box' approach to the insect stages of parasite life cycles to reveal some of the complexities of these relationships and how they are currently being analysed.
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OWEN, IFOR L. "Parasites of animals in Papua New Guinea recorded at the National Veterinary Laboratory: a catalogue, historical review and zoogeographical affiliations." Zootaxa 3143, no. 1 (December 23, 2011): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3143.1.1.
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The catalogue includes more than 700 parasites of domestic and wild animals recorded at the National Veterinary Laboratory, Papua New Guinea, since data began to be gathered at the end of World War 2. It incorporates some information already published and data on parasites, particularly of indigenous fauna, not recorded previously in the country. Wildlife host species include wild pig, deer, bats, murine rodents, marsupials, monotremes, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes and invertebrates. The range of parasites in domestic and many wild animals shows great affinity with that found in Australia. Some notable exceptions amongst domestic animal parasites are the endoparasites Trichinella papuae, Capillaria papuensis and Mammomonogamus laryngeus and the economically significant ectoparasites Chrysomya bezziana, Tropilaelaps mercedesae and Varroa jacobsoni that are not recorded in Australia. Unusual host-parasite associations include the larvae of the insects Chrysomya spp. and Lucilia sp., parasites of warm-blooded animals, infesting, respectively, cold-blooded crocodiles and cane toads, and the mammalian mite, Sarcoptes scabiei, on an avian host, cassowaries. No host switching of helminths was seen between domestic and wild animals, or between populations of deer, wild pigs and wallabies when grazing together. The economic importance of certain parasites for domestic animals, the potential threats from introduced or newly-discovered parasites, and the relationship between some parasites and their wildlife hosts, are discussed. Information is presented in two tables: a parasite–host list that includes the location of a parasite in or on a host as well as a list of references of relevance to the country, and a host–parasite list that contains the distribution of the parasites according to province or locality.
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Hite, Jessica L., and Clayton E. Cressler. "Parasite-Mediated Anorexia and Nutrition Modulate Virulence Evolution." Integrative and Comparative Biology 59, no. 5 (September 4, 2019): 1264–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/icb/icz100.
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Abstract Temporary but substantial reductions in voluntary food intake routinely accompany parasite infection in hosts ranging from insects to humans. This “parasite-mediated anorexia” drives dynamic nutrient-dependent feedbacks within and among hosts, which should alter the fitness of both hosts and parasites. Yet, few studies have examined the evolutionary and epidemiological consequences of this ubiquitous but overlooked component of infection. Moreover, numerous biomedical, veterinary, and farming practices (e.g., rapid biomass production via high-calorie or high-fat diets, low-level antibiotics to promote growth, nutritional supplementation, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen) directly or indirectly alter the magnitude of host anorexia—while also controlling host diet and therefore the nutrients available to hosts and parasites. Here, we show that anorexia can enhance or diminish disease severity, depending on whether the current dietary context provides nutrients that bolster or inhibit immune function. Feedbacks driven by nutrition-mediated competition between host immune function and parasite production can create a unimodal relationship between anorexia and parasite fitness. Subsequently, depending on the host’s diet, medical or husbandry practices that suppress anorexia could backfire, and inadvertently select for more virulent parasites and larger epidemics. These findings carry implications for the development of integrated treatment programs that consider links between host feeding behavior, nutrition, and disease severity.
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Riley, M. A., and R. A. Goyer. "SEASONAL ABUNDANCE OF BENEFICIAL INSECTS AND IPS SPP. ENGRAVER BEETLES (COLEOPTERA: SCOLYTIDAE) IN FELLED LOBLOLLY AND SLASH PINES IN LOUISIANA1." Journal of Entomological Science 23, no. 4 (October 1, 1988): 357–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.18474/0749-8004-23.4.357.
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Felled loblolly and slash pine trees were infested with Ips calligraphus (Germar) (80.2% of Ips population), I. avulsus (Eichhoff) (11.2%), and I. grandicollis (Eichhoff) (8.2%). A complex of beneficials associated with the Ips spp. broods consisted of 27 known or suspected insect predator species and 10 species of parasites. Predators comprised 98.8% and parasites 1.2% of the total beneficial insects collected. The predators Lonchaea sp. (Diptera: Lonchaeidae), Aulordum spp. (Coleoptera: Colydiidae), staphylinids and histerids (Coleoptera), and Scoloposcelis mississippensis (Drake and Harris) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) comprised 44.7, 6.8, 6.0, and 4.3%, respectively, of the total beneficial insect complex. The most abundant parasite was Roptrocerus eccoptogastri Ratzeburg, which accounted for 37.3% of all parasites but only 0.5% of the total beneficial insect complex. Abundance of both the beneficial insect complex and their Ips hosts was highest in trees felled in May and lowest in trees felled during August, suggesting a possible densitydependent relationship between the beneficials and the Ips spp. populations. Plegaderus sp. was the only species to show consistent preference for host tree, being more abundant in slash pine than on loblolly.
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Cini, Alessandro, Seirian Sumner, and Rita Cervo. "Inquiline social parasites as tools to unlock the secrets of insect sociality." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 374, no. 1769 (February 11, 2019): 20180193. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2018.0193.
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Insect societies play a crucial role in the functioning of most ecosystems and have fascinated both scientists and the lay public for centuries. Despite the long history of study, we are still far from understanding how insect societies have evolved and how social cohesion in their colonies is maintained. Here we suggest inquiline social parasites of insect societies as an under-exploited experimental tool for understanding sociality. We draw on examples from obligate inquiline (permanent) social parasites in wasps, ants and bees to illustrate how these parasites may allow us to better understand societies and learn more about the evolution and functioning of insect societies. We highlight three main features of these social parasite–host systems—namely, close phylogenetic relationships, strong selective pressures arising from coevolution and multiple independent origins—that make inquiline social parasites particularly suited for this aim; we propose a conceptual comparative framework that considers trait losses, gains and modifications in social parasite–host systems. We give examples of how this framework can reveal the more elusive secrets of sociality by focusing on two cornerstones of sociality: communication and reproductive division of labour. Together with social parasites in other taxonomic groups, such as cuckoos in birds, social parasitism has a great potential to reveal the mechanisms and evolution of complex social groups. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The coevolutionary biology of brood parasitism: from mechanism to pattern’.
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Cumming, G. S. "On the relevance of abundance and spatial pattern for interpretations of host–parasite association data." Bulletin of Entomological Research 94, no. 5 (October 2004): 401–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/ber2004319.
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AbstractThe quantification of host–parasite associations from field data is a fundamental step towards understanding host–parasite and host-parasite–pathogen dynamics. For parasites that are not rigid host specialists, exemplified in this paper by ticks, the interpretation of host–parasite association data is difficult. Interpretations of tick collection records have largely assumed that off-host collection records offer a valid basis from which to make claims about the host specificity or generality of tick species. A simple simulation analysis of rudimentary tick–host interactions in a hypothetical 50 × 50-cell habitat demonstrates that perceptions of tick–host relationships can be strongly biased by spatial patterns. Regardless of their true level of host specificity or generality, it seems that: (i) more abundant ticks will be perceived as generalists, while rarer species will be considered specialists; and (ii) tick species that have patchy, strongly aggregated distributions will be more likely to be perceived as host specialists than species that have more dispersed or uniform distributions. Since all available evidence suggests that abundances and spatial patterns vary between tick species, there is no way of assessing the true validity of claims about host specificity without first undertaking detailed research on the relative abundances and spatial and temporal patterns of both tick and host distributions.
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Maslov, Dmitri A., Fred R. Opperdoes, Alexei Y. Kostygov, Hassan Hashimi, Julius Lukeš, and Vyacheslav Yurchenko. "Recent advances in trypanosomatid research: genome organization, expression, metabolism, taxonomy and evolution." Parasitology 146, no. 1 (June 14, 2018): 1–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0031182018000951.
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AbstractUnicellular flagellates of the family Trypanosomatidae are obligatory parasites of invertebrates, vertebrates and plants. Dixenous species are aetiological agents of a number of diseases in humans, domestic animals and plants. Their monoxenous relatives are restricted to insects. Because of the high biological diversity, adaptability to dramatically different environmental conditions, and omnipresence, these protists have major impact on all biotic communities that still needs to be fully elucidated. In addition, as these organisms represent a highly divergent evolutionary lineage, they are strikingly different from the common ‘model system’ eukaryotes, such as some mammals, plants or fungi. A number of excellent reviews, published over the past decade, were dedicated to specialized topics from the areas of trypanosomatid molecular and cell biology, biochemistry, host–parasite relationships or other aspects of these fascinating organisms. However, there is a need for a more comprehensive review that summarizing recent advances in the studies of trypanosomatids in the last 30 years, a task, which we tried to accomplish with the current paper.
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Tripodi, Amber D., and James P. Strange. "Rarely reported, widely distributed, and unexpectedly diverse: molecular characterization of mermithid nematodes (Nematoda: Mermithidae) infecting bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus) in the USA." Parasitology 145, no. 12 (March 16, 2018): 1558–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0031182018000410.
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AbstractMermithid nematodes (Nematoda: Mermithida: Mermithidae) parasitize a wide range of both terrestrial and aquatic invertebrate hosts, yet are recorded in bumble bees (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus) only six times historically. Little is known about the specific identity of these parasites. In a single-season nationwide survey of internal parasites of 3646 bumble bees, we encountered six additional instances of mermithid parasitism in four bumble bee species and genetically characterized them using two regions of 18S to identify the specific host–parasite relationships. Three samples from the northeastern USA are morphologically and genetically identified as Mermis nigrescens, whereas three specimens collected from a single agricultural locality in the southeast USA fell into a clade with currently undescribed species. Nucleotide sequences of the V2–V6 region of 18S from the southeastern specimens were 2.6–3.0% divergent from one another, and 2.2–4.0% dissimilar to the nearest matches to available data. The dearth of available data prohibits positive identification of this parasite and its affinity for specific bumble bee hosts. By doubling the records of mermithid parasitism of bumble bee hosts and providing genetic data, this work will inform future investigations of this rare phenomenon.
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Skoracki, Maciej, Georges Wauthy, and Andre Bochkov. "Revision of the quill mites of the genus Picobia Haller, 1878 (Acari: Syringophilidae) with notes on their host-parasites relationships." Insect Systematics & Evolution 35, no. 2 (2004): 155–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/187631204788912409.
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AbstractThe genus Picobia Haller (Acari: Syringophilidae) is revised. The species of this genus are permanent parasites living in quills of bird body feathers. In total 19 species are recognized. Four new species are described from passerine birds (Passeriformes): Picobia locustella sp. n. from Locustella naevia (Sylviidae), P. biarmicus sp. n. from Panurus biarmicus (Panuridae), P. sturni sp. n. from Sturnus vulgaris (Sturnidae) and P. cissa sp. n. from Cissa chinensis (Corvidae). Two species are redescribed: P. dryobatis (Fritsch) and P. zumpti (Lawrence). A neotype for P. dryobatis is designated. A new diagnosis for the genus Picobia and a key to females are provided. Parsimony analysis of the genus is conducted. Host-parasite relationships are briefly discussed.
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Chegeni, Tooran Nayeri, and Mahdi Fakhar. "Promising Role of Wolbachia as Anti-parasitic Drug Target and Eco-Friendly Biocontrol Agent." Recent Patents on Anti-Infective Drug Discovery 14, no. 1 (October 21, 2019): 69–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1574891x14666190211162403.
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Background: Wolbachia is the most common endosymbiotic bacteria in insectborne parasites and it is the most common reproductive parasite in the world. Wolbachia has been found worldwide in numerous arthropod and parasite species, including insects, terrestrial isopods, spiders, mites and filarial nematodes. There is a complicated relationship between Wolbachia and its hosts and in some cases, they create a mutual relationship instead of a parasitic relationship. Some species are not able to reproduce in the absence of infection with Wolbachia. Thus, the use of existing strains of Wolbachia bacteria offers a potential strategy for the control of the population of mosquitoes and other pests and diseases. Methods: We searched ten databases and reviewed published papers regarding the role of Wolbachia as a promising drug target and emerging biological control agents of parasitic diseases between 1996 and 2017 (22 years) were considered eligible. Also, in the current study several patents (WO008652), (US7723062), and (US 0345249 A1) were reviewed. Results: Endosymbiotic Wolbachia bacteria, which are inherited from mothers, is transmitted to mosquitoes and interferes with pathogen transmission. They can change the reproduction of their host. Wolbachia is transmitted through the cytoplasm of eggs and have evolved different mechanisms for manipulating the reproduction of its hosts, including the induction of reproductive incompatibility, parthenogenesis, and feminization. The extensive effects of Wolbachia on reproduction and host fitness have made Wolbachia the issue of growing attention as a potential biocontrol agent. Conclusion: Wolbachia has opened a new window to design a costly, potent and ecofriendly drug target for effective treatment and elimination of vector-borne parasitic diseases.
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Mulder, Christa P. H., Bitty A. Roy, and Sabine Güsewell. "Herbivores and pathogens on Alnus viridis subsp. fruticosa in Interior Alaska: effects of leaf, tree, and neighbour characteristics on damage levels." Botany 86, no. 4 (April 2008): 408–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/b08-015.
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Parasite damage strongly affects dynamics of boreal forests. Damage levels may be affected by climate change, either directly or indirectly through changes in properties of host trees. We examined how herbivore and pathogen damage in Alnus viridis subsp. fruticosa (Rupr.) Nym. depend on leaf morphology and chemistry, tree size, and tree neighborhood. Damage and tree properties were measured in 2003 and 2004 on eight trees at each of 20 sites in Interior Alaska. Damage varied significantly among sites and among trees within sites, but Cartesian distances between sites were not correlated with similarity in damage levels. Compared with middle leaves, terminal leaves experienced less damage from phloem-feeding insects and pathogens, whereas leaf-roller damage was largely confined to terminal leaves. Summer drought in 2004 strongly reduced damage from phloem-feeding insects, while damage from chewing insects increased. Overall, herbivore damage was best explained by leaf morphology and chemistry, and pathogen damage by the proximity of other trees; the two damage types were not correlated with each other. Reproduction was negatively correlated with herbivore damage, but positively with pathogen damage. The contrasting relationships found for individual feeding guilds suggest that they must be studied separately in assessing impacts of climate change on parasite damage.
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Zhu, Lieceng, Xuming Liu, Xiang Liu, Richard Jeannotte, John C. Reese, Marion Harris, Jeffrey J. Stuart, and Ming-Shun Chen. "Hessian Fly (Mayetiola destructor) Attack Causes a Dramatic Shift in Carbon and Nitrogen Metabolism in Wheat." Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions® 21, no. 1 (January 2008): 70–78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/mpmi-21-1-0070.
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Carbon and nitrogen (C/N) metabolism and allocation within the plant have important implications for plant-parasite interactions. Many plant parasites manipulate the host by inducing C/N changes that benefit their own survival and growth. Plant resistance can prevent this parasite manipulation. We used the wheat–Hessian fly (Mayetiola destructor) system to analyze C/N changes in plants during compatible and incompatible interactions. The Hessian fly is an insect but shares many features with plant pathogens, being sessile during feeding stages and having avirulence (Avr) genes that match plant resistance genes in gene-for-gene relationships. Many wheat genes involved in C/N metabolism were differentially regulated in plants during compatible and incompatible interactions. In plants during compatible interactions, the content of free carbon-containing compounds decreased 36%, whereas the content of free nitrogen-containing compounds increased 46%. This C/N shift was likely achieved through a coordinated regulation of genes in a number of central metabolic pathways, including glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and amino-acid synthesis. Our data on plants during compatible interactions support recent findings that Hessian fly larvae create nutritive cells at feeding (attack) sites and manipulate host plants to enhance their own survival and growth. In plants during incompatible interactions, most of the metabolic genes examined were not affected or down-regulated.
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Haelewaters, Danny, Meredith Blackwell, and Donald H. Pfister. "Laboulbeniomycetes: Intimate Fungal Associates of Arthropods." Annual Review of Entomology 66, no. 1 (January 7, 2021): 257–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev-ento-013020-013553.
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Arthropod–fungus interactions involving the Laboulbeniomycetes have been pondered for several hundred years. Early studies of Laboulbeniomycetes faced several uncertainties. Were they parasitic worms, red algal relatives, or fungi? If they were fungi, to which group did they belong? What was the nature of their interactions with their arthropod hosts? The historical misperceptions resulted from the extraordinary morphological features of these oddly constructed ectoparasitic fungi. More recently, molecular phylogenetic studies, in combination with a better understanding of life histories, have clearly placed these fungi among filamentous Ascomycota (subphylum Pezizomycotina). Species discovery and research on the classification of the group continue today as arthropods, and especially insects, are routinely collected and examined for the presence of Laboulbeniomycetes. Newly armed with molecular methods, mycologists are poisedto use Laboulbeniomycetes–insect associations as models for the study of a variety of basic evolutionary and ecological questions involving host–parasite relationships, modes of nutrient intake, population biology, host specificity, biological control, and invasion biology. Collaboration between mycologists and entomologists is essential to successfully advance knowledge of Laboulbeniomycetes and their intimate association with their hosts.
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Olivier, Chrystel Y., D. Thomas Lowery, and Lorne W. Stobbs. "Phytoplasma diseases and their relationships with insect and plant hosts in Canadian horticultural and field crops." Canadian Entomologist 141, no. 5 (October 2009): 425–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/n08-cpa02.
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AbstractPhytoplasmas are bacterial plant pathogens consisting of more than 50 phylogenetic groups that cause devastating diseases in various crops worldwide. They are obligate parasites restricted to the phloem tissue of the host plant and are transmitted from plant to plant mostly by leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae). They reproduce within the tissues of their insect vectors and are transferred in the salivary secretions to new host plants during feeding. Phytoplasma epidemiology involves a tritrophic relationship between the pathogen and usually several hosts and vectors. The host-plant range depends on the number of vectors, their feeding habits, and their dispersal pattern. Interactions between phytoplasmas and their vector hosts are complex and influenced by insects' vectoring abilities and the consequences of infection for vectors. In Canada, seven phytoplasma taxa have been detected in various crops. Aster yellows, the primary vector of which is the leafhopper Macrosteles quadrilineatus (Forbes), is the most common and widespread. X-disease, transmitted by at least eight leafhopper species, is economically damaging to all cultivated species of Prunus L. (Rosaceae). Clover proliferation, also transmitted by M. quadrilineatus, is the causal agent of important diseases such as clover proliferation and alfalfa witches' broom. Ash yellows and pear decline have caused economic problems for several decades, while bois noir, a quarantinable disease in Canada, was detected in Ontario and British Columbia for the first time only recently. Because of their cryptic nature, phytoplasmas are difficult to manage; quarantine measures and insecticide sprays remain the most common control measures. However, integrated pest management techniques using beneficial insects, biotechnology, and plant resistance are emerging.
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Rajchard, J. "Kairomones – important substances in interspecific communication in vertebrates: a review." Veterinární Medicína 58, No. 11 (December 5, 2013): 561–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.17221/7137-vetmed.
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Interspecies chemical communication is widespread among many groups of organisms, including vertebrates. Kairomones belong to a group of intensively researched substances, represent means for interspecific chemical communication in animals and bring benefit to the acceptor of the chemical signal. Important and often studied is the chemical communication between hosts and their ectoparasites such as ticks and other parasitic mite species. Uric acid is a host stimulus of the kairomone type, which is a product of bird metabolism, or secretions of blood-fed (ingested) ticks. Secretion of volatile substances with kairomone effect may depend on the health of the host organism. Another examined group is the haematophagous ectoparasite insects of the order Diptera, where in addition to the attractiveness of CO<sub>2</sub> a number of other attractants have been described. Specificity of substances in chemical communication can also be determined by their enantiomers. Detailed study of the biology of these ectoparasites is very important from a practical point of view: these parasites play an important role as vectors in a number of infectious diseases. Another area of interspecific chemical communication is the predator-prey relationship, or rather the ability to detect the proximity of predator and induce anti-predator behaviour in the prey. This relationship has been demonstrated in aquatic vertebrates (otter Lutra lutra – salmon Salmo salar) as well as in rodents and their predators. The substances produced by carnivores that induce behavioural response in mice have already been identified. The knowledge of interspecies communication (e.g., between host and parasite) is becoming a prerequisite in successful animal breeding and care.
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Araújo, João Paulo Machado, Harry Charles Evans, David Michael Geiser, William P. Mackay, and David Peter Hughes. "Unravelling the diversity behind the Ophiocordyceps unilateralis (Ophiocordycipitaceae) complex: Three new species of zombie-ant fungi from the Brazilian Amazon." Phytotaxa 220, no. 3 (July 24, 2015): 224. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.220.3.2.
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In tropical forests, one of the most commonly encountered relationships between parasites and insects is that between the fungus Ophiocordyceps (Ophiocordycipitaceae, Hypocreales, Ascomycota) and ants, especially within the tribe Camponotini. Here, we describe three newly discovered host-specific species, Ophiocordyceps camponoti-atricipis, O. camponoti-bispinosi and O. camponoti-indiani, on Camponotus ants from the central Amazonian region of Brazil, which can readily be separated using morphological traits, in particular the shape and behavior of the ascospores. DNA sequence data support inclusion of these species within the Ophiocordyceps unilateralis complex.
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Sajnaga, Ewa, and Waldemar Kazimierczak. "Evolution and taxonomy of nematode-associated entomopathogenic bacteria of the genera Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus: an overview." Symbiosis 80, no. 1 (January 2020): 1–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13199-019-00660-0.
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AbstractEntomopathogenic bacteria from the genera Photorhabdus and Xenorhabdus are closely related Gram-negative bacilli from the family Enterobacteriaceae (γ-Proteobacteria). They establish obligate mutualistic associations with soil nematodes from the genera Steinernema and Heterorhabditis to facilitate insect pathogenesis. The research of these two bacterial genera is focused mainly on their unique interactions with two different animal hosts, i.e. nematodes and insects. So far, studies of the mutualistic bacteria of nematodes collected from around the world have contributed to an increase in the number of the described Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus species. Recently, the classification system of entomopatogenic nematode microsymbionts has undergone profound revision and now 26 species of the genus Xenorhabdus and 19 species of the genus Photorhabdus have been identified. Despite their similar life style and close phylogenetic origin, Photorhabdus and Xenorhabdus bacterial species differ significantly in e.g. the nematode host range, symbiotic strategies for parasite success, and arrays of released antibiotics and insecticidal toxins. As the knowledge of the diversity of entomopathogenic nematode microsymbionts helps to enable the use thereof, assessment of the phylogenetic relationships of these astounding bacterial genera is now a major challenge for researchers. The present article summarizes the main information on the taxonomy and evolutionary history of Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus, entomopathogenic nematode symbionts.
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Greene, Erick, and John Roach. "Brown-Headed Cowbird Parasitism of Lazuli Buntings; Relationships with Habitats and Ungulate Hosts." UW National Parks Service Research Station Annual Reports 18 (January 1, 1994): 46–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.13001/uwnpsrc.1994.3189.
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Brown-headed Cowbirds Molothrus ater, a brood parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of other birds, has recently undergone a tremendous range expansion. Before European settlement, this species was restricted to short-grass prairie, where it followed buffalo Bison bison and fed on insects stirred up by their movements (Lowther 1993). Settlement of North America by Europeans, the subsequent large-scale deforestation, and extirpation of buffalo lead to Brown-headed Cowbirds shifting to associate with cows and horses. These changes in landscape and host associations allowed a rapid range expansion and increase in numbers (Payne 1977, Laymon 1987, Rothstein et al.1980). Brown-headed Cowbirds now are found from the Pacific to the Atlantic coast, and from south-central Mexico north to tree line in Canada (Lowther 1993). Cowbirds are apparently expanding their range altitudinally as well, so that they can now be found breeding over 3,000 m in elevation (Hanka 1985). Lazuli Buntings Passerina amoena are small neotropical migrant birds that breed throughout western United States and southwestern Canada. These conspicuous birds breed in a wide variety of brushy habitats, ranging from sea level along the Pacific coast to over 3,000 m in Sierras and Rocky Mountains. Preferred breeding habitat includes arid bushy hillsides, riparian habitats, wooded valleys, aspen, willow, alder or cottonwood thickets, sage brush, chaparral, open scrub, recent post-fire habitats, thickets and hedges along agricultural fields, and residential gardens (Greene et al. in press).
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Mehana, El-Sayed E., Asmaa F. Khafaga, Samar S. Elblehi, Mohamed E. Abd El-Hack, Mohammed A. E. Naiel, May Bin-Jumah, Sarah I. Othman, and Ahmed A. Allam. "Biomonitoring of Heavy Metal Pollution Using Acanthocephalans Parasite in Ecosystem: An Updated Overview." Animals 10, no. 5 (May 7, 2020): 811. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani10050811.
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As a result of the global industrial revolution, contamination of the ecosystem by heavy metals has given rise to one of the most important ecological and organismic problems, particularly human, early developmental stages of fish and animal life. The bioaccumulation of heavy metals in fish tissues can be influenced by several factors, including metal concentration, exposure time, method of metal ingestion and environmental conditions, such as water temperature. Upon recognizing the danger of contamination from heavy metals and the effects on the ecosystem that support life on earth, new ways of monitoring and controlling this pollution, besides the practical ones, had to be found. Diverse living organisms, such as insects, fish, planktons, livestock and bacteria can be used as bioindicators for monitoring the health of the natural ecosystem of the environment. Parasites have attracted intense interest from parasitic ecologists, because of the variety of different ways in which they respond to human activity contamination as prospective indices of environmental quality. Previous studies showed that fish intestinal helminths might consider potential bioindicators for heavy metal contamination in aquatic creatures. In particular, cestodes and acanthocephalans have an increased capacity to accumulate heavy metals, where, for example, metal concentrations in acanthocephalans were several thousand times higher than in host tissues. On the other hand, parasitic infestation in fish could induce significant damage to the physiologic and biochemical processes inside the fish body. It may encourage serious impairment to the physiologic and general health status of fish. Thus, this review aimed to highlight the role of heavy metal accumulation, fish histopathological signs and parasitic infestation in monitoring the ecosystem pollutions and their relationship with each other.
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Deunff, Jean, John O. Whitaker, and Allen Kurta. "Description of Nymphal Stages of Periglischrus cubanus (Acari, Spinturnicidae), Parasites From Erophylla sezekorni bombifrons (Chiroptera) From Puerto Rico With Observations on the Nymphal Stages and Host-Parasite Relationships Within the Genus Periglischrus." Journal of Medical Entomology 48, no. 4 (July 1, 2011): 758–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/me10234.
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Aisien, Martins S. O., Omoyemwen Edo-Taiwo, and Abigail A. Imasuen. "Ecological Scenarios and Parasite Diversity in Anurans of West Africa: A Review." Diversity 13, no. 6 (May 21, 2021): 223. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d13060223.
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This paper is a survey of the parasite diversity, prevalence and infection intensity in anurans in diverse ecological settings in West Africa. The settings included natural habitats (rainforests, freshwater creeks, Guinea and Sudan savannas), monoculture plantations (cocoa, cotton and oil palm), urbanized and urbanizing rainforest biotopes and polluted environments due to oil industry activities. The natural habitats had higher amphibian species diversity, moderate parasite prevalence and low infection intensity, showing a balance in the host/parasite relationship. These habitats yielded most of the monogeneans, among which were new species. The freshwater creek biotope had low amphibian diversity, but hosts from this environment harbored several parasite taxa, a situation attributed to a prolonged wet season, high environmental humidity and persistent breeding pools for insect vectors in this area. The monoculture plantations were characterized by high parasite prevalence but lower infection intensity. For example, in the Pendjari Biosphere Reserve in Bénin Republic, the Agricultural Zone (AZ) had higher parasite prevalence values, while the National Park (NP) and Buffer Zone (BZ) had higher infection intensities. Higher prevalence was attributed to the single or combined effects of vector population explosion, immune-suppression by agrochemicals, nutrient enrichment and eutrophication from fertilizer use. The lower infection intensity was attributed to the inhibitory effect of the pesticide-contaminated environment on the free-living larval stages of parasites. The adverse effect of pesticide contamination was also evident in the lower infection intensity recorded in the anurans from the cocoa plantations at Ugboke in comparison to those from the pesticide-free village settlement. Urbanization reduced host diversity and numbers and increased the vector population, resulting in unusually high parasite prevalence and infection intensities at Diobu and Port Harcourt and high prevalence recorded for Ophidascaris larvae in the anurans of Evbuabogun. Oil pollution in the mangrove community reduced both host and parasite diversity; infection intensity was also low due to the adverse conditions confronting free-living stages of parasites in their development milieu. The high prevalence values obtained for monogeneans (Polystoma spp.) in Ptychadena spp. from Ogoniland was presumed to have resulted from host tadpole sequestration and exposure to high oncomiracidia burden in the few hospitable ponds. Also reviewed is the phenomenon of amphibian paratenism, a strategy on which many helminth parasites rely on for their trophic transmission to their definitive hosts.
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Tomalak, Marek, Harold E. Welch, and Terry D. Galloway. "EFFECTS OF CROWDING ON SUPLHURETYLENCHUS SPP. (NEMATODA: ALLANTONEMATIDAE) IN THE HAEMOCOEL OF THEIR BARK BEETLE HOSTS (COLEOPTERA: SCOLYTIDAE)." Canadian Entomologist 121, no. 9 (September 1989): 821–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/ent121821-9.
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Nematode parasites of bark beetles are taxonomically diverse, and may, in some cases, cause serious pathological and behavioural changes in their hosts (Kaya 1984). Their potential as biological control agents has long been recognized, but to date there is a shortage of elementary information on host-parasite interactions. Though the effects of superparasitism and subsequent crowding on the parasite have been studied for some mermithids (Petersen 1972) and steinernematids (Sandner and Stanuszek 1971), no such observations have been reported for bark beetle parasites. During a survey of nematode parasites of bark beetles in Manitoba, we encountered two examples where nematodes were detrimentally affected at the higher infection rates observed. It was our objective, therefore, to examine the relationship between intensity of infection, and impact on growth and reproduction of the parasites.
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Mungomba, L. M., D. H. Molyneux, and K. R. Wallbanks. "Host-parasite relationship ofTrypanosoma corvi inOrnithomyia avicularia." Parasitology Research 75, no. 3 (1989): 167–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/bf00931269.
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Justine, J. L., and M. C. Durette-Desset. "Evolution of Parasites and Host–Parasite Relationships." Parasitology Today 16, no. 8 (August 2000): 315. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0169-4758(00)01725-7.
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Evison, Sophie EF. "Chalkbrood: epidemiological perspectives from the host–parasite relationship." Current Opinion in Insect Science 10 (August 2015): 65–70. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cois.2015.04.015.
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Espagne, E., V. Douris, G. Lalmanach, B. Provost, L. Cattolico, J. Lesobre, S. Kurata, K. Iatrou, J. M. Drezen, and E. Huguet. "A Virus Essential for Insect Host-Parasite Interactions Encodes Cystatins." Journal of Virology 79, no. 15 (August 1, 2005): 9765–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/jvi.79.15.9765-9776.2005.
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ABSTRACT Cotesia congregata is a parasitoid wasp that injects its eggs in the host caterpillar Manduca sexta. In this host-parasite interaction, successful parasitism is ensured by a third partner: a bracovirus. The relationship between parasitic wasps and bracoviruses constitutes one of the few known mutualisms between viruses and eukaryotes. The C. congregata bracovirus (CcBV) is injected at the same time as the wasp eggs in the host hemolymph. Expression of viral genes alters the caterpillar's immune defense responses and developmental program, resulting in the creation of a favorable environment for the survival and emergence of adult parasitoid wasps. Here, we describe the characterization of a CcBV multigene family which is highly expressed during parasitism and which encodes three proteins with homology to members of the cystatin superfamily. Cystatins are tightly binding, reversible inhibitors of cysteine proteases. Other cysteine protease inhibitors have been described for lepidopteran viruses; however, this is the first description of the presence of cystatins in a viral genome. The expression and purification of a recombinant form of one of the CcBV cystatins, cystatin 1, revealed that this viral cystatin is functional having potent inhibitory activity towards the cysteine proteases papain, human cathepsins L and B and Sarcophaga cathepsin B in assays in vitro. CcBV cystatins are, therefore, likely to play a role in host caterpillar physiological deregulation by inhibiting host target proteases in the course of the host-parasite interaction.
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Schmid-Hempel, Paul, and Ross H. Crozier. "Ployandry versus polygyny versus parasites." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences 354, no. 1382 (February 28, 1999): 507–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.1999.0401.
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Although social insect colonies are most easily conceptualized as consisting of a single, once–mated queen and her worker progeny, the number of queens per colony and the number of times queens mate varies broadly in ants and other social insects. Various hypotheses have been suggested for the resulting range of breeding systems and social organizations, respectively; one set of hypotheses relating to both queen number and mate number at the same time is a need for genetic variation, especially in relation to disease resistance. We here carry out a comparative analysis using phylogenetic information and, contrary to one non–phylogenetic previous study, we find that polyandry and polygyny are not significantly associated. However, the level of relatedness within colonies, a quantity affected by both polyandry and polygyny, is significantly associated with parasite loads: species with colonies with low relatedness levels have lower parasite loads. Given that, under the variance–reduction principle, selection on queens for mating frequency ought to continue even in polygynous colonies, we suggest that while parasite loads indeed seem to correlate with intra–colony genetic variability, the relationship to polyandry and polygyny may be complex and requires considerably more experimental investigation.
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Suhonen, Jukka, Jaakko J. Ilvonen, Tommi Nyman, and Jouni Sorvari. "Brood parasitism in eusocial insects (Hymenoptera): role of host geographical range size and phylogeny." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 374, no. 1769 (February 11, 2019): 20180203. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2018.0203.
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Interspecific brood parasitism is common in many animal systems. Brood parasites enter the nests of other species and divert host resources for producing their own offspring, which can lead to strong antagonistic parasite–host coevolution. Here, we look at commonalities among social insect species that are victims of brood parasites, and use phylogenetic data and information on geographical range size to predict which species are most probably to fall victims to brood parasites in the future. In our analyses, we focus on three eusocial hymenopteran groups and their brood parasites: (i) bumblebees, (ii) Myrmica ants, and (iii) vespine and polistine wasps. In these groups, some, but not all, species are parasitized by obligate workerless inquilines that only produce reproductive-caste descendants. We find phylogenetic signals for geographical range size and the presence of parasites in bumblebees, but not in ants and wasps. Phylogenetic logistic regressions indicate that the probability of being attacked by one or more brood parasite species increases with the size of the geographical range in bumblebees, but the effect is statistically only marginally significant in ants. However, non-phylogenetic logistic regressions suggest that bumblebee species with the largest geographical range sizes may have a lower likelihood of harbouring social parasites than do hosts with medium-sized ranges. Our results provide new insights into the ecology and evolution of host–social parasite systems, and indicate that host phylogeny and geographical range size can be used to predict threats posed by social parasites, as well to design efficient conservation measures for both hosts and their parasites. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The coevolutionary biology of brood parasitism: from mechanism to pattern’.
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Gibson, Amanda K. "Asexual parasites and their extraordinary host ranges." Integrative and Comparative Biology 59, no. 6 (May 24, 2019): 1463–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/icb/icz075.
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Abstract In diverse parasite taxa, from scale insects to root-knot nematodes, asexual lineages have exceptionally large host ranges, larger than those of their sexual relatives. Phylogenetic comparative studies of parasite taxa indicate that increases in host range and geographic range increase the probability of establishment of asexual lineages. At first pass, this convergence of traits appears counter-intuitive: intimate, antagonistic association with an enormous range of host taxa correlates with asexual reproduction, which should limit genetic variation within populations. Why would narrow host ranges favor sexual parasites and large host ranges favor asexual parasites? To take on this problem I link theory on ecological specialization to the two predominant hypotheses for the evolution of sex. I argue that both hypotheses predict a positive association between host range and the probability of invasion of asexual parasites, mediated either by variation in population size or in the strength of antagonistic coevolution. I also review hypotheses on colonization and the evolution of niche breadth in asexual lineages. I emphasize parasite taxa, with their diversity of reproductive modes and ecological strategies, as valuable assets in the hunt for solutions to the classic problems of the evolution of sex and geographic parthenogenesis.
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Tseng, Michelle, and Judith H. Myers. "The Relationship between Parasite Fitness and Host Condition in an Insect - Virus System." PLoS ONE 9, no. 9 (September 10, 2014): e106401. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0106401.
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Strona, Giovanni, and Simone Fattorini. "A Few Good Reasons Why Species-Area Relationships Do Not Work for Parasites." BioMed Research International 2014 (2014): 1–5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/271680.
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Several studies failed to find strong relationships between the biological and ecological features of a host and the number of parasite species it harbours. In particular, host body size and geographical range are generally only weak predictors of parasite species richness, especially when host phylogeny and sampling effort are taken into account. These results, however, have been recently challenged by a meta-analytic study that suggested a prominent role of host body size and range extent in determining parasite species richness (species-area relationships). Here we argue that, in general, results from meta-analyses should not discourage researchers from investigating the reasons for the lack of clear patterns, thus proposing a few tentative explanations to the fact that species-area relationships are infrequent or at least difficult to be detected in most host-parasite systems. The peculiar structure of host-parasite networks, the enemy release hypothesis, the possible discrepancy between host and parasite ranges, and the evolutionary tendency of parasites towards specialization may explain why the observed patterns often do not fit those predicted by species-area relationships.
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Whitehorn, Penelope R., Matthew C. Tinsley, Mark J. F. Brown, Ben Darvill, and Dave Goulson. "Genetic diversity, parasite prevalence and immunity in wild bumblebees." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 278, no. 1709 (October 6, 2010): 1195–202. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2010.1550.
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Inbreeding and a consequent loss of genetic diversity threaten small, isolated populations. One mechanism by which genetically impoverished populations may become extinct is through decreased immunocompetence and higher susceptibility to parasites. Here, we investigate the relationship between immunity and inbreeding in bumblebees, using Hebridean island populations of Bombus muscorum . We sampled nine populations and recorded parasite prevalence and measured two aspects of immunity: the encapsulation response and levels of phenoloxidase (PO). We found that prevalence of the gut parasite Crithidia bombi was higher in populations with lower genetic diversity. Neither measure of immune activity was correlated with genetic diversity. However, levels of PO declined with age and were also negatively correlated with parasite abundance. Our results suggest that as insect populations lose heterozygosity, the impact of parasitism will increase, pushing threatened populations closer to extinction.
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Ryan, Roger B. "RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARASITISM OF LARCH CASEBEARER (LEPIDOPTERA: COLEOPHORIDAE) AND DEAD HOSTS IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS, 1973–1983." Canadian Entomologist 117, no. 8 (August 1985): 935–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/ent117935-8.
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AbstractBetween 1973 and 1983 two newly introduced parasites, Agathis pumila (Ratz.) and Chrysocharis laricinellae (Ratz.), caused an increasing impact on populations of the larch casebearer, Coleophora laricella (Hbn.), as measured by percentage parasitism based on adult emergence and the associated mortality of hosts that did not produce parasites. Total impact of the parasites cannot be measured by adult emergence alone but must include parasite-killed hosts from which no parasites emerged. Nevertheless, trends in parasite effectiveness are represented by percentages based solely on adult emergence. Only 53.1% of the adult A. pumila successfully emerged in 1983 samples. Furthermore, the number of emerged plus non-emerged A. pumila was only 53.3% of the number expected based on previous samples of that same generation. This mortality of A. pumila took place even in the absence of significant populations of C. laricinellae, indicating that although C. laricinellae may cause some reduction in parasitism by A. pumila, other factors are also responsible.
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Frazer, Betsy A., Bernard Fried, Takahiro Fujino, and Barry P. Sleckman. "Host-parasite relationships between Echinostoma caproni and RAG-2-deficient mice." Parasitology Research 85, no. 4 (February 17, 1999): 337–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s004360050558.
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Thompson, R. C. A., and A. J. Lymbery. "Genetic variability in parasites and host—parasite interactions." Parasitology 112, S1 (March 1996): S7—S22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0031182000076629.
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SUMMARYWe have examined genetic variability in parasites in the context of ecological interactions with the host. Recent research onEchinococcus, GiardiaandCryptosporidiumhas been used to illustrate: (i) the problems that parasite variability and species recognition pose for understanding the complex and often controversial relationship between parasite and host occurrence; (ii) the need for accurate parasite characterization and the application of appropriate molecular techniques to studies on parasite transmission if fundamental questions about zoonotic relationships and risk factors are to be answered; (iii) our lack of understanding about within-host interactions between genetically heterogeneous parasites at the inter-and intraspecific levels, and the significance of such interactions with respect to evolutionary considerations and the clinical outcome of parasite infections. If advances in molecular biology and mathematical ecology are to be realized, we need to give serious consideration to the development of appropriate species concepts and in vivo systems for testing the predictions and assumptions of theoretical models.
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LORENZI, M. C., R. CERVO, F. ZACCHI, S. TURILLAZZI, and A. G. BAGNÈRES. "Dynamics of chemical mimicry in the social parasite wasp Polistes semenowi (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)." Parasitology 129, no. 5 (October 5, 2004): 643–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0031182004005992.
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Chemical cues are so important in the recognition mechanism of social insects that most social parasites (which rely on hosts to rear their brood) have been documented as overcoming the mechanism by which colony residents recognize non-nestmates, by mimicking the odour of the usurped colony. We simulated in the laboratory the process by which the obligate social parasite, Polistes semenowi, invades nests of the host species, Polistes dominulus, in the field and analysed the epicuticular lipid layer before and after host nest usurpation. The experiment documents that P. semenowi social parasites have an epicuticular hydrocarbon pattern which is very similar to that of their host but, after entering host colonies, parasites mimic the odour of the colonies they invade, to the point that they perfectly match the hydrocarbon profile peculiar to the colony they entered. However, both before and after host nest invasion, parasites show a tendency to possess diluted recognition cues with respect to their hosts.
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Guppy, J. C., F. Meloche, and D. G. Harcourt. "SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT, BEHAVIOR, AND HOST SYNCHRONY OF DACNUSA DRYAS (NIXON) (HYMENOPTERA: BRACONIDAE) PARASITIZING THE ALFALFA BLOTCH LEAFMINER, AGROMYZA FRONTELLA (RONDANI) (DIPTERA: AGROMYZIDAE)." Canadian Entomologist 120, no. 2 (February 1988): 145–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/ent120145-2.
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AbstractStudies in eastern Ontario showed that the exotic parasite Dacnusa dryas (Nixon) typically has three generations a year that correspond seasonally to those of its host, the alfalfa blotch leafminer, Agromyza frontella (Rondani). The mature larvae of the third generation enter diapause in September and resume development in the spring. The egg – first instar interval, which occurs within the actively feeding leafminer, developed at rates similar to those of the host larva. The remaining two instars and the pupa, which occur within the host puparium, developed at rates similar to those of the host pupa; in the two non-diapausing generations, the durations of these stages decreased with rise in temperature from 13 to 23 °C. Coincidence of wasp flight and hatch of leafminer eggs was high in all three generations. This host–parasite synchrony results mainly from a sequence of three events during their life cycles: lack of development of the parasite beyond the first instar within the host larva, a temperature-dependent rate of development of the subsequent stages which is similar to that of the host pupa, and different overwintering strategies which result in the parasite emerging later than its host to sustain the relationship. Behavior of the parasite is described in relation to host detection, egg deposition, and reproduction.
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BROWN, M. J. F., Y. MORET, and P. SCHMID-HEMPEL. "Activation of host constitutive immune defence by an intestinal trypanosome parasite of bumble bees." Parasitology 126, no. 3 (March 2003): 253–60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0031182002002755.
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Many parasites, including important species that affect humans and livestock, must survive the harsh environment of insect guts to complete their life-cycle. Hence, understanding how insects protect themselves against such parasites has immediate practical implications. Previously, such protection has been thought to consist mainly of mechanical structures and the action of lectins. However, recently it has become apparent that gut infections may interact with the host immune system in more complex ways. Here, using bumble bees, Bombus terrestris and their non-invasive gut trypanosome, Crithidia bombi, as a model system we investigated the effects of parasitic infection, host resources and the duration of infections on the host immune system. We found that infection doubled standing levels of immune defence in the haemolymph (the constitutive pro-phenoloxidase system), which is used as a first, general defence against parasites. However, physical separation of the parasite from the haemolymph suggests the presence of a messenger system between the gut and the genes that control the pro-phenoloxidase system. Surprisingly, we found no direct effect of host resource-stress or duration of the infection on the immune system. Our results suggest a novel and tactical response of insects to gut infections, demonstrating the complexity of such host–parasite systems.
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Grüter, Christoph, Evelien Jongepier, and Susanne Foitzik. "Insect societies fight back: the evolution of defensive traits against social parasites." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 373, no. 1751 (June 4, 2018): 20170200. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2017.0200.
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Insect societies face many social parasites that exploit their altruistic behaviours or their resources. Due to the fitness costs these social parasites incur, hosts have evolved various behavioural, chemical, architectural and morphological defence traits. Similar to bacteria infecting multicellular hosts, social parasites have to successfully go through several steps to exploit their hosts. Here, we review how social insects try to interrupt this sequence of events. They can avoid parasite contact by choosing to nest in parasite-free locales or evade attacks by adapting their colony structure. Once social parasites attack, hosts attempt to detect them, which can be facilitated by adjustments in colony odour. If social parasites enter the nest, hosts can either aggressively defend their colony or take their young and flee. Nest structures are often shaped to prevent social parasite invasion or to safeguard host resources. Finally, if social parasites successfully establish themselves in host nests, hosts can rebel by killing the parasite brood or by reproducing in the parasites' presence. Hosts of social parasites can therefore develop multiple traits, leading to the evolution of complex defence portfolios of co-dependent traits. Social parasites can respond to these multi-level defences with counter-adaptations, potentially leading to geographical mosaics of coevolution. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue ‘Evolution of pathogen and parasite avoidance behaviours’.
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Geffre, Amy C., Ruolin Liu, Fabio Manfredini, Laura Beani, Jeyaraney Kathirithamby, Christina M. Grozinger, and Amy L. Toth. "Transcriptomics of an extended phenotype: parasite manipulation of wasp social behaviour shifts expression of caste-related genes." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 284, no. 1852 (April 12, 2017): 20170029. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.0029.
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Parasites can manipulate host behaviour to increase their own transmission and fitness, but the genomic mechanisms by which parasites manipulate hosts are not well understood. We investigated the relationship between the social paper wasp, Polistes dominula , and its parasite, Xenos vesparum (Insecta: Strepsiptera), to understand the effects of an obligate endoparasitoid on its host's brain transcriptome. Previous research suggests that X. vesparum shifts aspects of host social caste-related behaviour and physiology in ways that benefit the parasitoid. We hypothesized that X. vesparum -infested (stylopized) females would show a shift in caste-related brain gene expression. Specifically, we predicted that stylopized females, who would normally be workers, would show gene expression patterns resembling pre-overwintering queens (gynes), reflecting gyne-like changes in behaviour. We used RNA-sequencing data to characterize patterns of brain gene expression in stylopized females and compared these with those of unstylopized workers and gynes. In support of our hypothesis, we found that stylopized females, despite sharing numerous physiological and life-history characteristics with members of the worker caste, show gyne-shifted brain expression patterns. These data suggest that the parasitoid affects its host by exploiting phenotypic plasticity related to social caste, thus shifting naturally occurring social behaviour in a way that is beneficial to the parasitoid.
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Lafferty, Kevin D. "Biodiversity loss decreases parasite diversity: theory and patterns." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 367, no. 1604 (October 19, 2012): 2814–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2012.0110.
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Past models have suggested host–parasite coextinction could lead to linear, or concave down relationships between free-living species richness and parasite richness. I explored several models for the relationship between parasite richness and biodiversity loss. Life cycle complexity, low generality of parasites and sensitivity of hosts reduced the robustness of parasite species to the loss of free-living species diversity. Food-web complexity and the ordering of extinctions altered these relationships in unpredictable ways. Each disassembly of a food web resulted in a unique relationship between parasite richness and the richness of free-living species, because the extinction trajectory of parasites was sensitive to the order of extinctions of free-living species. However, the average of many disassemblies tended to approximate an analytical model. Parasites of specialist hosts and hosts higher on food chains were more likely to go extinct in food-web models. Furthermore, correlated extinctions between hosts and parasites (e.g. if parasites share a host with a specialist predator) led to steeper declines in parasite richness with biodiversity loss. In empirical food webs with random removals of free-living species, the relationship between free-living species richness and parasite richness was, on average, quasi-linear, suggesting biodiversity loss reduces parasite diversity more than previously thought.
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Brivio, Maurizio Francesco, and Maristella Mastore. "When Appearance Misleads: The Role of the Entomopathogen Surface in the Relationship with Its Host." Insects 11, no. 6 (June 23, 2020): 387. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/insects11060387.
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Currently, potentially harmful insects are controlled mainly by chemical synthetic insecticides, but environmental emergencies strongly require less invasive control techniques. The use of biological insecticides in the form of entomopathogenic organisms is undoubtedly a fundamental resource for the biological control of insect pests in the future. These infectious agents and endogenous parasites generally act by profoundly altering the host’s physiology to death, but their success is closely related to the neutralization of the target insect’s immune response. In general, entomopathogen parasites, entomopathogenic bacteria, and fungi can counteract immune processes through the effects of secretion/excretion products that interfere with and damage the cells and molecules typical of innate immunity. However, these effects are observed in the later stages of infection, whereas the risk of being recognized and neutralized occurs very early after penetration and involves the pathogen surface components and molecular architecture; therefore, their role becomes crucial, particularly in the earliest pathogenesis. In this review, we analyze the evasion/interference strategies that entomopathogens such as the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, fungi, nematocomplexes, and wasps implement in the initial stages of infection, i.e., the phases during which body or cell surfaces play a key role in the interaction with the host receptors responsible for the immunological discrimination between self and non-self. In this regard, these organisms demonstrate evasive abilities ascribed to their body surface and cell wall; it appears that the key process of these mechanisms is the capability to modify the surface, converting it into an immunocompatible structure, or interaction that is more or less specific to host factors.
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Rea, J. G., and S. W. B. Irwin. "The ecology of host-finding behaviour and parasite transmission: past and future perspectives." Parasitology 109, S1 (1994): S31—S39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0031182000085061.
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SUMMARYHost location by parasites can be achieved by either active or passive mechanisms. In spite of their significance, the efficacy of these methods has been little researched. High fecundity in parasites is discussed in terms of the role it plays in dispersal and transmission. Some concepts developed by mainstream behavioural ecologists are outlined and their relevance to parasitology is indicated. ‘Reproductive value’ is recommended as an appropriate measure of the costs and benefits of behavioural acts. Although costs of reproduction have been rarely studied in parasites, they are likely to occur in cosexual insects, nematodes and crustaceans. Experiments using captive hosts and/orin vitrocultivation could help in the construction of realistic optimality models. We suggest that r- and K-selection theory could assist in the study of the evolution of parasite behaviour. We discuss how parasite populations are dispersed and controlled and consider the implications of overdispersion. WTe outline three sources of signals to which parasites may respond and suggest that understanding evolutionary mechanisms and community organisation of parasites and hosts requires evaluation of fundamental behavioural responses to environmental signals. The study of closely related groups of parasites and their hosts may advance our knowledge of the evolution of parasite life cycles and the evolutionary costs and benefits of behavioural acts.
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Vianen, A. van, and J. C. van Lenteren. "The parasite-host relationship betweenEncarsia formosa(Hymenoptera, Aphelinidae) andTrialeurodes vaporariorum(Homoptera, Aleyrodidae)." Journal of Applied Entomology 102, no. 1-5 (January 12, 1986): 130–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0418.1986.tb00903.x.
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Ezenwa, Vanessa O., and Matthew H. Snider. "Reciprocal relationships between behaviour and parasites suggest that negative feedback may drive flexibility in male reproductive behaviour." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 283, no. 1831 (May 25, 2016): 20160423. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.0423.
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Parasites are ubiquitous components of the environment that contribute to behavioural and life-history variation among hosts. Although it is well known that host behaviour can affect parasite infection risk and that parasites can alter host behaviour, the potential for dynamic feedback between these processes is poorly characterized. Using Grant's gazelle ( Nanger granti ) as a model, we tested for reciprocal effects of behaviour on parasites and parasites on behaviour to understand whether behaviour–parasite feedback could play a role in maintaining variation in male reproductive behaviour. Adult male gazelles either defend territories to attract mates or reside in bachelor groups. Territoriality is highly variable both within- and between-individuals, suggesting that territory maintenance is costly. Using a combination of longitudinal and experimental studies, we found that individual males transition frequently between territorial and bachelor reproductive status, and that elevated parasite burdens are a cost of territoriality. Moreover, among territorial males, parasites suppress aspects of behaviour related to territory maintenance and defence. These results suggest that territorial behaviour promotes the accumulation of parasites in males, and these parasites dampen the very behaviours required for territory maintenance. Our findings suggest that reciprocal feedback between host behaviour and parasitism could be a mechanism maintaining variation in male reproductive behaviour in the system.
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LAURON, ELVIN J., CLAIRE LOISEAU, RAURI C. K. BOWIE, GREG S. SPICER, THOMAS B. SMITH, MARTIM MELO, and RAVINDER N. M. SEHGAL. "Coevolutionary patterns and diversification of avian malaria parasites in African sunbirds (Family Nectariniidae)." Parasitology 142, no. 5 (October 29, 2014): 635–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0031182014001681.
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SUMMARYThe coevolutionary relationships between avian malaria parasites and their hosts influence the host specificity, geographical distribution and pathogenicity of these parasites. However, to understand fine scale coevolutionary host–parasite relationships, robust and widespread sampling from closely related hosts is needed. We thus sought to explore the coevolutionary history of avianPlasmodiumand the widespread African sunbirds, family Nectariniidae. These birds are distributed throughout Africa and occupy a variety of habitats. Considering the role that habitat plays in influencing host-specificity and the role that host-specificity plays in coevolutionary relationships, African sunbirds provide an exceptional model system to study the processes that govern the distribution and diversity of avian malaria. Here we evaluated the coevolutionary histories using a multi-gene phylogeny for Nectariniidae and avianPlasmodiumfound in Nectariniidae. We then assessed the host–parasite biogeography and the structuring of parasite assemblages. We recoveredPlasmodiumlineages concurrently in East, West, South and Island regions of Africa. However, severalPlasmodiumlineages were recovered exclusively within one respective region, despite being found in widely distributed hosts. In addition, we inferred the biogeographic history of these parasites and provide evidence supporting a model of biotic diversification in avianPlasmodiumof African sunbirds.
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Dissous, Colette, Naji Khayath, Jérôme Vicogne, and Monique Capron. "Growth factor receptors in helminth parasites: Signalling and host-parasite relationships." FEBS Letters 580, no. 12 (March 24, 2006): 2968–75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.febslet.2006.03.046.
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Poulin, R. "Evolution and phylogeny of behavioural manipulation of insect hosts by parasites." Parasitology 116, S1 (1998): S3—S11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0031182000084894.
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SummaryThe literature contains many examples of changes induced by parasites in the behaviour and/or other phenotypic traits of insects. From an evolutionary perspective, the nature of these changes is usually difficult to assess. Parasite-induced changes in host behaviour can be adaptations of either host or parasite, or they can be mere pathological consequences of infection. Of the many criteria and experimental tests necessary to distinguish between adaptations and non-selected consequences, two are particularly important: the demonstration of fitness benefits for either host or parasite associated with the behavioural change, and the elucidation of the proximate mechanism responsible for the behavioural change. Another approach can serve to identify adaptive changes in behaviour: mapping specific behavioural alterations on a phylogeny of either hosts or parasites. The usefulness of this approach is illustrated with two examples, acanthocephalan- cockroach associations and insect-fungus associations. The adaptive nature of parasite-induced behavioural changes will always be difficult to evaluate because they are the product of two distinct but interacting genotypes. However, experimental and phylogenetic approaches can provide valuable insights into the evolutionary history of insect-parasite interactions.
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CAMPIÃO, K. M., A. RIBAS, and L. E. R. TAVARES. "Diversity and patterns of interaction of an anuran–parasite network in a neotropical wetland." Parasitology 142, no. 14 (October 7, 2015): 1751–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0031182015001262.
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SUMMARYWe describe the diversity and structure of a host–parasite network of 11 anuran species and their helminth parasites in the Pantanal wetland, Brazil. Specifically, we investigate how the heterogeneous use of space by hosts changes parasite community diversity, and how the local pool of parasites exploits sympatric host species of different habits. We examined 229 anuran specimens, interacting with 32 helminth parasite taxa. Mixed effect models indicated the influence of anuran body size, but not habit, as a determinant of parasite species richness. Variation in parasite taxonomic diversity, however, was not significantly correlated with host size or habit. Parasite community composition was not correlated with host phylogeny, indicating no strong effect of the evolutionary relationships among anurans on the similarities in their parasite communities. Host–parasite network showed a nested and non-modular pattern of interaction, which is probably a result of the low host specificity observed for most helminths in this study. Overall, we found host body size was important in determining parasite community richness, whereas low parasite specificity was important to network structure.
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Alizon, Samuel, and Sébastien Lion. "Within-host parasite cooperation and the evolution of virulence." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 278, no. 1725 (May 11, 2011): 3738–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2011.0471.
Full textAbstract:
Infections by multiple genotypes are common in nature and are known to select for higher levels of virulence for some parasites. When parasites produce public goods (PGs) within the host, such co-infections have been predicted to select for lower levels of virulence. However, this prediction is based on simplifying assumptions regarding epidemiological feedbacks on the multiplicity of infections (MOI). Here, we analyse the case of parasites producing a PG (for example, siderophore-producing bacteria) using a nested model that ties together within-host and epidemiological processes. We find that the prediction that co-infection should select for less virulent strains for PG-producing parasites is only valid if both parasite transmission and virulence are linear functions of parasite density. If there is a trade-off relationship such that virulence increases more rapidly than transmission, or if virulence also depends on the total amount of PGs produced, then more complex relationships between virulence and the MOI are predicted. Our results reveal that explicitly taking into account the distribution of parasite strains among hosts could help better understand the selective pressures faced by parasites at the population level.