Ants and Their Parasites 2013

Lachaud, Jean Paul; Lenoir, Alain; Hughes, David

doi:10.1155/2013/264279

Cited by 11 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 17 publications

(17 reference statements)

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“…Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), the most widespread social organisms on Earth, attract an amazing diversity of parasitic organisms, such as viruses [1] , bacteria [2] , fungi [3,4] , and an array of uni-and multicellular animal organisms [5,6] . Many of these parasites cause lethal diseases [7] , but most are sublethal, i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Entomopathogenic Rickia wasmannii fungal infection generated colony-level stress effects cause size decline in Myrmica ants

Csősz

Rádai

Tartally

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Parasitism-generated negative effects on ant societies are multifaceted, implying individual and colony-level responses. Though laboratory based evidence shows that the sublethal fungus Rickia wasmannii is responsible for physiological and behavioral responses that may negatively affect individual workers’ resilience and life expectancy in Myrmica ant workers, colony-level stress response to this parasite is largely unknown. Here, we focus on understanding of a long-term, colony-level effect of Rickia infection on Myrmica scabrinodis ant populations by tracking trait size-based changes. We collected worker specimens from infected and uninfected colonies from the same population in order to: (i) compare body size in response to parasitism, (ii) assess the extent to which possible changes in size are associated with the severity of infection, and (iii) investigate shifts in body size in response to infection over time by testing correlation of workers’ ages and sizes. We found that workers from infected colonies were significantly smaller than their healthy congeners, but neither infection level nor the age of the workers showed significant correlation with the size in infected colonies. Decreasing body sizes in infected colonies can be ascribed to workers’ mediated stress toward developing larvae, which are unable to attain the average body size before they pupate.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Entomopathogenic Rickia wasmannii fungal infection generated colony-level stress effects cause size decline in Myrmica ants

Csősz

Rádai

Tartally

et al. 2021

Preprint

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“…Their complex nests and colonies provide both rich, homeostatic microhabitats and available resources that are exploited by other organisms [1–3]. Despite the aggressive behavior and sophisticated defense strategies of most ant species, many organisms (termed in general myrmecophiles) have managed to deal with ant aggressiveness and bypass their defense strategies [2,4–7]. In response, ants have evolved a suite of physiological, immunological and behavioral defensive responses to counter exploitation by micro- and macro-parasites both at the individual and the colony level [8–13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fine-tuned intruder discrimination favors ant parasitoidism

et al. 2019

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A diversity of arthropods (myrmecophiles) thrives within ant nests, many of them unmolested though some, such as the specialized Eucharitidae parasitoids, may cause direct damage to their hosts. Ants are known to discriminate between nestmates and non-nestmates, but whether they recognize the strength of a threat and their capacity to adjust their behavior accordingly have not been fully explored. We aimed to determine whether Ectatomma tuberculatum ants exhibited specific behavioral responses to potential or actual intruders posing different threats to the host colony and to contribute to an understanding of complex ant-eucharitid interactions. Behavioral responses differed significantly according to intruder type. Ants evicted intruders that represented a threat to the colony’s health (dead ants) or were not suitable as prey items (filter paper, eucharitid parasitoid wasps, non myrmecophilous adult weevils), but killed potential prey (weevil larvae, termites). The timing of detection was in accordance with the nature and size of the intruder: corpses (a potential source of contamination) were detected faster than any other intruder and transported to the refuse piles within 15 min. The structure and complexity of behavioral sequences differed among those intruders that were discarded. Workers not only recognized and discriminated between several distinct intruders but also adjusted their behavior to the type of intruder encountered. Our results confirm the previously documented recognition capabilities of E. tuberculatum workers and reveal a very fine-tuned intruder discrimination response. Colony-level prophylactic and hygienic behavioral responses through effective removal of inedible intruders appears to be the most general and flexible form of defense in ants against a diverse array of intruders. However, this generalized response to both potentially lethal and harmless intruders might have driven the evolution of ant-eucharitid interactions, opening a window for parasitoid attack and allowing adult parasitoid wasps to quickly leave the natal nest unharmed.

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“…We found that workers from infected colonies were significantly smaller than their healthy congeners, but neither infection level nor the age of the workers showed significant correlation with the size in infected colonies. Decreasing body sizes in infected colonies can be ascribed to workers' mediated effect toward developing larvae, which are unable to attain the average body size before they pupate.Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), the most widespread social organisms on Earth, attract an amazing diversity of parasitic organisms, such as viruses 1 , bacteria 2 , fungi 3,4 , and an array of uni-and multicellular animal organisms 5,6 . Many of these parasites cause lethal diseases 7 , but most are sublethal, i.e.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), the most widespread social organisms on Earth, attract an amazing diversity of parasitic organisms, such as viruses 1 , bacteria 2 , fungi 3,4 , and an array of uni-and multicellular animal organisms 5,6 . Many of these parasites cause lethal diseases 7 , but most are sublethal, i.e.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Ectoparasitic fungi Rickia wasmannii infection is associated with smaller body size in Myrmica ants

Csősz

Rádai

Tartally

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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Parasitism-generated negative effects on ant societies are multifaceted, implying individual and colony-level responses. Though laboratory based evidence shows that the sublethal fungus Rickia wasmannii is responsible for physiological and behavioral responses that may negatively affect individual workers’ resilience and life expectancy in Myrmica ant workers, colony-level stress response to this parasite is largely unknown. Here, we focus on understanding of a long-term, colony-level effect of Rickia infection on Myrmica scabrinodis ant populations by tracking trait size-based changes. We collected worker specimens from infected and uninfected colonies from the same population in order to: (1) compare body size in response to parasitism, (2) assess the extent to which possible changes in size are associated with the severity of infection, and (3) investigate shifts in body size in response to infection over time by testing correlation of workers’ ages and sizes. We found that workers from infected colonies were significantly smaller than their healthy congeners, but neither infection level nor the age of the workers showed significant correlation with the size in infected colonies. Decreasing body sizes in infected colonies can be ascribed to workers’ mediated effect toward developing larvae, which are unable to attain the average body size before they pupate.

show abstract

Ants and Their Parasites 2013

Cited by 11 publications

References 17 publications

Entomopathogenic Rickia wasmannii fungal infection generated colony-level stress effects cause size decline in Myrmica ants

Entomopathogenic Rickia wasmannii fungal infection generated colony-level stress effects cause size decline in Myrmica ants

Fine-tuned intruder discrimination favors ant parasitoidism

Ectoparasitic fungi Rickia wasmannii infection is associated with smaller body size in Myrmica ants

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