Sanitary behaviours induced by fungal infection in Myrmica scabrinodis

Csata, Enikő and Molnár, Dalma and Kötő, Emese-Anna and Markó, Bálint and Rákosy-Tican, Elena (2015) Sanitary behaviours induced by fungal infection in Myrmica scabrinodis. In: 6th Central European Workshop of Myrmecology, 2015.07.24-27, Debrecen.

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Abstract

Ants are frequently targeted by parasites, and in some cases parasites induce changes in life history, physiology and behaviour of the hosts. The social life of ants implies high frequency of contacts among nestmates, that increases the risk of spreading any pathogen among colony members. Rickia wasmannii is an ectoparasitic fungus of the order Laboulbeniales (Ascomycetes), that obligatorily exploits ant species of the genus Myrmica. Little is known about its exact interactions with its hosts. In the frame of laboratory studies we investigated the changes that the parasite could induce in the behavior of the host. We performed two different experiments: (1) we recorded the time elapsed to the discovery of infected corpses (uninfected corpses were used as control), and the ants’ reactions to them, e.g. the number of aggressive behavioural acts; (2) we recorded the frequency and the time of auto- and allo-grooming behaviour of infected and uninfected ant individuals. Our results suggest that infection with R. wasmannii seems to modify, although to lesser extent, the behaviour of infected individuals.

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