1770: "When a Parasite Rewires Behavior to Spread Itself"
About this episode
This episode discusses how a virus affects the mating behavior of infected Texas field crickets.
Interesting Things with JC #1770: "When a Parasite Rewires Behavior to Spread Itself" – Infected Texas field crickets were sterile or producing barely moving sperm, but they kept mating, and infected males courted females sooner than healthy males. The virus was disrupting the immune signals that normally slow courtship during illness while still spreading through sexual contact.
People in this episode
Host: JC
Topics covered
- parasites
- behavioral changes
- sexual reproduction
- crickets
- viral infection
Keywords
- parasite
- crickets
- behavior
- virus
- mating
- sexual contact
- infection
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Texas field crickets
Places: Texas
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