Data from: Sex-specific manipulation of sexually cannibalistic mantid mating behavior by hairworms
Data files
Aug 29, 2024 version files 12.12 KB
Abstract
Changes in the morphology, physiology and behavior of parasitized organisms provide an ideal opportunity to examine the extended phenotype of parasites. Since the quality of the host directly affects the fitness of the parasite, parasites may increase their fitness by manipulating phenotypes of low-quality hosts. Males are usually preyed on by females in sexual cannibalism. Thus, the males of sexually cannibalistic species are unsafe and low-quality hosts for parasites, while females may be beneficial hosts because of the chance of nutrient intake from cannibalized males. Under passive modes of transmission, parasites cannot choose the host sex. Such parasites exploiting sexually cannibalistic organisms are subjected to contrasting fitness effects and may evolve to manipulate host mating behavior in a sex-specific manner: decreasing male mating to avoid cannibalism and promoting female mating to engage in cannibalism. We examined this hypothesis by a behavioral experiment using a mantid-hairworm system. Parasitized male mantids (Tenodera angustipennis) changed their behavior as expected, exhibiting increased escapes and decreased courtships and mountings, potentially avoiding encounters with the female. Interestingly, male attack behavior was promoted, possibly decreasing contact with the encountered female. However, contrary to our prediction, parasitized females also exhibited decreased propensities of mating, suggesting costs or little benefits of host mating for parasites in the female host. This study provides novel insights into the evolution of parasite strategies in response to sexual differences in host quality.
README: Data from: Sex-specific manipulation of sexually cannibalistic mantid mating behavior by hairworms
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.4j0zpc8jw
Description of the data and file structure
The results of mating experiment using a mantid-hairworm system (mating_experiment.csv)
Files and variables
File: mating_experiment.csv
Description: Behavioral data in mating experiment.
Variables
year: Year of conducting experiment.
m_size: Pronotum length of the male (mm).
f_size: Pronotum length of the female (mm).
m_inf: Parasitism of the male (1 = infected, 0 = not infected).
f_inf: Parasitism of the female (1 = infected, 0 = not infected).
m_load: Total dry weight of hairworms in the male (g).
f_load: Total dry weight of hairworms in the female (g).
obs_time: Total observation time (min).
n_m_abd_bend: Total number of male horizontal abdominal bendings.
lat_m_abd bend: Latency to the first male horizontal abdominal bending (min).
lat_m_abd bend_cens: Whether observation in latency to the first male horizontal abdominal bending was censored (1 = yes, 0 = no).
m_attack: Occurrence of male attack (1 = attacked, 0 = not attacked).
lat_m_attack: Latency to the first male attack to female (min).
lat_m_attack_cens: Whether observation in latency to the first male attack was censored (1 = yes, 0 = no).
m_attack_bef_f_esc: Occurrence of male attack before female escape (1 = attacked, 0 = not attacked).
m_esc: Occurrence of male escape (1 = escaped, 0 = not escaped).
lat_m_esc: Latency to male escape (min).
lat_m_esc_cens: Whether observation in latency to male escape was censored (1 = yes, 0 = no).
mount: Occurrence of male mounting (1 = mounted, 0 = not mounted).
lat_mount: Latency to male mounting (min).
lat_mount_cens: Whether observation in latency to male mount was censored (1 = yes, 0 = no).
f_abd_bend: Occurrence of female vertical abdominal bendings (1 = bended, 0 = not bended).
lat_f_abd_bend: Latency to the first female vertical abdominal bending (min).
lat_f_abd_bend_cens: Whether observation in latency to the first female vertical abdominal bending was censored (1 = yes, 0 = no).
f_attack: Occurrence of female attack (1 = attacked, 0 = not attacked).
lat_f_attack: Latency to the first attack to male by the female (min).
lat_f_attack_cens: Whether observation in latency to female attack was censored (1 = yes, 0 = no).
f_attack_bef_m_esc: Occurrence of female attack before male escape (1 = attacked, 0 = not attacked).
f_esc: Occurrence of female escape (1 = escaped, 0 = not escaped).
lat_f_esc: Latency to female escape (min).
lat_f_esc_cens: Whether observation in latency to female escape was censored (1 = yes, 0 = no).
cannibal: Occurrence of sexual cannibalism (1 = cannibalized, 0 = not cannibalized).
lat_cannibal: Latency to sexual cannibalism (min).
lat_cannibal_cens: Whether observation in latency to cannibalism was censored (1 = yes, 0 = no).