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The effect of Hymenolepis diminuta (Cestoda) cysticercoids on the weight change, frass production, and food intake of the intermediate host, Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera)

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Abstract

Parasitism results in nutritionally related changes in hosts, often leading to altered feeding behavior. Infected hosts that increase their feeding also increase their probability of reinfection. To study this, I used a beetle (Tenebrio molitor)–tapeworm (Hymenolepis diminuta) system. Infected and uninfected male and female beetles were individually housed in vials with food. Each beetle's weight change, food intake, and frass production were measured over 24-h periods at 3, 7, 12, and 16 days postinfection. Treatment (infection) had no effect on weight change, but males lost more weight and produced more frass than females. Additionally, treatment had no effect on food consumption, but males had a higher food intake than females. These results suggest that infection status will not alter the probability of reinfection, but males will be more susceptible to infection than females. However, despite the male's greater food intake during the experimental infection period, parasite loads did not differ between males and females.

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Acknowledgements

I thank Jerry Downhower, Peter Pappas, Tom Waite, and Larry Phelan for their helpful comments and suggestions in the preparation of this manuscript. I especially thank Peter Pappas and Dave Culver for the use of their laboratory equipment. Finally, I thank Yimei He and Eric Sundrup for their statistical and computer expertise. I declare that all experiments described here comply with United States law.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, 300 Aronoff Laboratory, 318 West 12th Ave., Columbus, OH, 43210, USA

    John F. Shea

  2. Biology Department, Loyola University, 6525 North Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL, 60626, USA

    John F. Shea

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  1. John F. Shea
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Correspondence to John F. Shea.

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Shea, J.F. The effect of Hymenolepis diminuta (Cestoda) cysticercoids on the weight change, frass production, and food intake of the intermediate host, Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera). Parasitol Res 98, 1–4 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-005-0021-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-005-0021-y

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