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Generation, Maintenance, and Identification of Germ-Free Zebrafish Models from Larvae to Juvenile Stages

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Why join groups? Lessons from parasite-manipulated Artemia.

Nicolas O Rode¹, Eva J P Lievens, Elodie Flaven

¹Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive-UMR 5175, Montpellier, France.

Ecology Letters

|January 29, 2013

Summary

Parasites can manipulate host behavior, causing increased grouping in crustaceans like Artemia. This parasite-driven aggregation enhances parasite transmission to new hosts, challenging traditional adaptive explanations for schooling and swarming.

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Area of Science:

Ecology
Parasitology
Behavioral Ecology

Background:

Grouping behaviors in animals are typically explained by adaptive benefits like predator avoidance or foraging.
The role of parasites in manipulating host aggregation for transmission has not been experimentally demonstrated.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate if parasites can induce grouping behaviors in crustacean hosts (Artemia franciscana and Artemia parthenogenetica).
To determine if parasite-induced aggregation increases parasite transmission to final hosts.

Main Methods:

Studied natural populations of Artemia infected with cestode and microsporidian parasites.
Quantified swarming propensity and red color intensity in infected and uninfected hosts.
Conducted experimental infections to confirm transmission rates.

Main Results:

Cestode-infected Artemia showed increased swarming and higher red coloration, facilitating transmission to avian hosts.
Microsporidian-infected Artemia exhibited increased swarming and surfacing behavior.
Experimental infections confirmed that these manipulated behaviors enhance parasite spore transmission.

Conclusions:

Parasites can actively manipulate host grouping behaviors to increase their own transmission success.
This finding provides the first experimental evidence for parasite manipulation driving host aggregation.
Parasitic manipulation represents a significant, previously underestimated, factor influencing host social behavior.