A symbiotic aphid selfishly manipulates attending ants via dopamine in honeydew.

ABSTRACT: Symbiotic relationships are widespread in nature, but the mechanisms maintaining these relationships remain to be elucidated because symbiosis incurs a maintenance cost to each participant, which lowers its reproductive rate. In host-parasite relationships, parasites are known to manipulate the host's behavior selfishly, and there is an arms race between them. Selfish manipulations also occur in symbiosis, but the effects of selfish manipulations on symbiosis are not fully understood. Here, we show that an ant-associated aphid manipulates attending ants to receive stronger protection. Aphid honeydew regurgitated by ants contains dopamine (DA). The ants showed low aggressiveness before contact with the aphids, but it rose after contact. Administration of DA to the ants increased ant aggress

SUBMITTER: Kudo T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8448758 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature