ArticlePloS one2014
Long-term disease dynamics for a specialized parasite of ant societies: a field study.
Article in PloS one, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 21 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
21 citing papers in PubMed.
- Wherefore the Magic? The Evolutionary Role of Psilocybin in Nature.Ecology and evolution · 2026Article
- Zombie-ant fungi from western Mexico: six new species in thePersoonia · 2025Article
- There is gold in the graveyard: a new lineage of zombie-ant fungi in the genusFungal systematics and evolution · 2025Article
- Parasitism by Entomopathogenic Fungi and Insect Host Defense Strategies.Microorganisms · 2025Review
- Consequences of "zombie-making" and generalist fungal pathogens on carpenter ant microbiota.Current research in insect science · 2025Article
- Insect circadian plasticity as a proposed target for the expression of parasite extended phenotypes.Npj biological timing and sleep · 2025Review
- With the dead under the mat: the zombie ant extended phenotype under a new perspective.Die Naturwissenschaften · 2024Article
- Disentangling the Taxonomy, Systematics, and Life History of the Spider-Parasitic FungusJournal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Hijacking time: How Ophiocordyceps fungi could be using ant host clocks to manipulate behavior.Parasite immunology · 2022Review
- Article
- Insect Behavioral Change and the Potential Contributions of Neuroinflammation-A Call for Future Research.Genes · 2021Review
- Genetic Underpinnings of Host Manipulation byG3 (Bethesda, Md.) · 2020Article
- Evaluating the tradeoffs of a generalist parasitoid fungus, Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, on different sympatric ant hosts.Scientific reports · 2020Article
- Specialist and Generalist Fungal Parasites Induce Distinct Biochemical Changes in the Mandible Muscles of Their Host.International journal of molecular sciences · 2019Article
- Automated tracking and analysis of ant trajectories shows variation in forager exploration.Scientific reports · 2019Article
- Zombie ant death grip due to hypercontracted mandibular muscles.The Journal of experimental biology · 2019Article
- Destructive disinfection of infected brood prevents systemic disease spread in ant colonies.eLife · 2018Article
- Within the fortress: A specialized parasite is not discriminated against in a social insect society.PloS one · 2018Article
- Ant-infecting Ophiocordyceps genomes reveal a high diversity of potential behavioral manipulation genes and a possible major role for enterotoxins.Scientific reports · 2017Article
- Tales from the crypt: a parasitoid manipulates the behaviour of its parasite host.Proceedings. Biological sciences · 2017Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Many studies have investigated how social insects behave when a parasite is introduced into their colonies. These studies have been conducted in the laboratory, and we still have a limited understanding of the dynamics of ant-parasite interactions under natural conditions. Here we consider a specialized parasite of ant societies (Ophiocordyceps camponoti-rufipedis infecting Camponotus rufipes) within a rainforest. We first established that the parasite is unable to develop to transmission stage when introduced within the host nest. Secondly, we surveyed all colonies in the studied area and recorded 100% prevalence at the colony level (all colonies were infected). Finally, we conducted a long-term detailed census of parasite pressure, by mapping the position of infected dead ants and foraging trails (future hosts) in the immediate vicinity of the colonies over 20 months. We report new dead infected ants for all the months we conducted the census--at an average of 14.5 cadavers/month/colony. Based on the low infection rate, the absence of colony collapse or complete recovery of the colonies, we suggest that this parasite represents a chronic infection in the ant societies. We also proposed a "terminal host model of transmission" that links the age-related polyethism to the persistence of a parasitic infection.
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