The Evolution of Altered Behaviors in Parasitized Animals: ACockroach-Acanthocephalan Model

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Dr. Janice Moore requests support for a comparative study of behavioral changes in host cockroach species caused by acanthocephalan worm parasites. Previous studies have postulated that parasite-induced behavioral changes may increase the probability of transmission of the worms to vertebrate hosts, raising the possibility of adaptive significance of the behavioral changes. This project will establish the degree and kinds of behavioral changes induced in ten cockroach species by a single parasite species, and will investigate the extent to which closely-related cockroaches have similar responses to being parasitized. Behavioral changes will be measured relative to five environmental tests (substrate color and orientation, shelter choice, activity level, and responses to air currents). The project has wide implications for the study of host- parasite coevolution. If behavioral changes are highly coincident with evolutionary relationships, then parasitism can be viewed as a noteworthy factor in the evolution of the group. If they are not well-predicted by evolutionary relatedness, then species would appear to be more generalized in their responses, and therefore more directly adapted to their ecological circumstances.