Predicting spatio-/temporal-variation of parasite-mediated energy flow by revealing neural mechanisms of host manipulation by nematomorph parasites

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K14606
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Ecology/Environment
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Sato Takuya 神戸大学, 理学研究科, 准教授 (30456743)
• Research Collaborator: Aonuma Hitoshi 北海道大学, 電子科学研究所, 准教授 (20333643)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 宿主操作 / 神経メカニズム / 系外資源流 / ハリガネムシ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Nematomorph parasites indirectly strengthen energy flow through ecosystems via behavioral manipulation of their terrestrial hosts. However, neural mechanisms underlying this behavioral manipulation by the nematomorphs have not yet been clarified, which is making us difficult to predict the temporal-/spatial- variations of the parasite-mediated energy flow. To bridge the gaps between ecological and neuro-ethological knowledge about host manipulations, we examined behavior and brain biogenic monoamine levels in two Mantodea species parasitized by the nematomorphs to elucidate the neural mechanisms of the nematomorphs’ host manipulation. Overall, the locomotion activities of mantis harboring mature nematomorphs tended to be high irrespective of time of the day. In the parasitized mantis, dopamine and octopamine levels in the brain tended to be higher than those in the un-parasitized one, which might be one of the neural mechanisms of the behavioral manipulation by the nematomorphs.

Free Research Field

生態学