Experimental test of host specificity in a behaviour-modifying trematode
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Experimental test of host specificity in a behaviour-modifying trematode. / Hernandez, R.N.; Fredensborg, Brian Lund.
In: Parasitology, Vol. 142, No. 13, 2015, p. 1631-1639.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Experimental test of host specificity in a behaviour-modifying trematode
AU - Hernandez, R.N.
AU - Fredensborg, Brian Lund
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - Host behavioural modification by parasites is a common and well-documented phenomenon. However, knowledge on the complexity and specificity of the underlying mechanisms is limited, and host specificity among manipulating parasites has rarely been experimentally verified. We tested the hypothesis that the ability to infect and manipulate host behaviour is restricted to phylogenetically closely related hosts. Our model system consisted of the brain-encysting trematode Euhaplorchis sp. A and six potential fish intermediate hosts from the Order Cyprinodontiformes. Five co-occurring cyprinids were examined for naturally acquired brain infections. Then we selected three species representing three levels of taxonomic relatedness to a known host to experimentally evaluate their susceptibility to infection, and the effect of infection status on behaviours presumably linked to increased trophic transmission. We found natural brain infections of Euhaplorchis sp. A metacercariae in three cyprinids in the shallow sublittoral zone. Of the three experimentally exposed species, Fundulus grandis and Poecilia latipinna acquired infections and displayed an elevated number of conspicuous behaviours in comparison with uninfected controls. Euhaplorchis sp. A was able to infect and manipulate fish belonging to two different families, suggesting that ecological similarity rather than genetic relatedness determines host range in this species.
AB - Host behavioural modification by parasites is a common and well-documented phenomenon. However, knowledge on the complexity and specificity of the underlying mechanisms is limited, and host specificity among manipulating parasites has rarely been experimentally verified. We tested the hypothesis that the ability to infect and manipulate host behaviour is restricted to phylogenetically closely related hosts. Our model system consisted of the brain-encysting trematode Euhaplorchis sp. A and six potential fish intermediate hosts from the Order Cyprinodontiformes. Five co-occurring cyprinids were examined for naturally acquired brain infections. Then we selected three species representing three levels of taxonomic relatedness to a known host to experimentally evaluate their susceptibility to infection, and the effect of infection status on behaviours presumably linked to increased trophic transmission. We found natural brain infections of Euhaplorchis sp. A metacercariae in three cyprinids in the shallow sublittoral zone. Of the three experimentally exposed species, Fundulus grandis and Poecilia latipinna acquired infections and displayed an elevated number of conspicuous behaviours in comparison with uninfected controls. Euhaplorchis sp. A was able to infect and manipulate fish belonging to two different families, suggesting that ecological similarity rather than genetic relatedness determines host range in this species.
KW - behavioural modification
KW - Euhaplorchis
KW - Host specificity
KW - killifish
KW - specialization
KW - trematode
U2 - 10.1017/S0031182015001171
DO - 10.1017/S0031182015001171
M3 - Journal article
VL - 142
SP - 1631
EP - 1639
JO - Parasitology
JF - Parasitology
SN - 0031-1820
IS - 13
ER -
ID: 153452035