Does allopreening control avian ectoparasites?

Villa, Scott M.; Goodman, Graham B.; Ruff, James S.; Clayton, Dale H.

doi:10.1098/rsbl.2016.0362

Cited by 23 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…In primates, the higher richness of socially transmitted parasites in species where social learning is more often recorded is in line with this idea (McCabe et al, 2014). Other cognitive traits may also be indirectly associated with socially transmitted parasitism, because of co-variation between these traits and social cognition (e.g., see Reader et al, 2011; see also Villa et al, 2016). Note however that sociality may also, in some cases, decrease parasite pressure, for example, via social defenses such as allogrooming/allopreening, or because of dilution effects (see Mooring and Hart, 1992), in which case social species should be less parasitized (e.g., Bordes et al, 2007).…”

Section: Mechanism 311: Social Intelligence and Social Parasitesmentioning

confidence: 64%

Host Cognition and Parasitism in Birds: A Review of the Main Mechanisms

et al. 2020

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Parasites can have important detrimental effects on host fitness, thereby influencing their ecology and evolution. Hosts can, in turn, exert strong selective pressures on their parasites, affecting eco-evolutionary dynamics. Although the reciprocal pressures that hosts and parasites exert on each other have long been recognized, the mechanisms are insufficiently understood. Here, we discuss the role of host cognition in host-parasite eco-evolutionary dynamics. Theoretical advances have acknowledged the importance of behavior in shaping these dynamics, but how and why host cognition should affect and/or be affected by parasites is less clear. We propose three scenarios that may create causal and non-causal links between cognition and the richness, prevalence and intensity of parasites. First, host cognition may change the probability of exposure to parasites, either increasing (e.g., altering the relationship with the environment via innovative behaviors) or decreasing (e.g., influencing decision-making to avoid infected conspecifics) exposure. Second, parasites may change host cognitive performance, for example, by reducing host condition. Finally, host cognition and parasites can be associated via common causal factors (e.g., shared molecular pathways), energetic constraints generating trade-offs between cognition and immunocompetence, or trait co-evolution with life history, ecological, or social strategies. The existence of such a variety of non-mutually exclusive mechanisms suggests that host cognition has a great potential to affect and be affected by parasites. However, it also implies that progress in understanding these effects will only be possible if we distinguish between causal and non-causal links.

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Section: Mechanism 311: Social Intelligence and Social Parasitesmentioning

confidence: 64%

Host Cognition and Parasitism in Birds: A Review of the Main Mechanisms

et al. 2020

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“…An association between social breeding and allopreening has also been suggested, based on the hygienic benefits that allopreening provides ( Brooke 1985 ; Villa et al 2016 ). Focusing on cooperatively breeding species, Spottiswoode (2008) suggested that allopreening may have evolved in response to the increased risk of parasite transmission that results from close contact among group members (an argument that also holds for non-cooperative species breeding in dense colonies).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Allopreening can aid ectoparasite removal ( Brooke 1985 ; Villa et al 2016 ). However, if hygiene is the primary function of allopreening, why does this behavior occur in certain species only?…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Allopreening in birds is associated with parental cooperation over offspring care and stable pair bonds across years

2017

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Lay SummaryPreening one’s partner is important for staying together and sharing offspring care. Grooming or preening a partner is widespread in primates and birds. We tested the idea that this behavior (allopreening) in birds plays a role in maintaining partner relationships. Bird species that allopreen were more likely to share parental duties and more likely to breed with the same partner in consecutive breeding seasons, compared to species that do not allopreen.Twitter: @ElspethKenny

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“…Birds were trapped consecutively in June 2014 and June 2015. Once trapped, pigeons were brought back to the laboratory, where their lice were killed by ethyl acetate fumigation in a chamber for 15 min, followed by gentle ruffling to dislodge the lice (Villa, Goodman, Ruff, & Clayton, ). Lice were counted and preserved in 95% ethanol for subsequent DNA extraction.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phoretic dispersal influences parasite population genetic structure

et al. 2018

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Dispersal is a fundamental component of the life history of most species. Dispersal influences fitness, population dynamics, gene flow, genetic drift and population genetic structure. Even small differences in dispersal can alter ecological interactions and trigger an evolutionary cascade. Linking such ecological processes with evolutionary patterns is difficult, but can be carried out in the proper comparative context. Here, we investigate how differences in phoretic dispersal influence the population genetic structure of two different parasites of the same host species. We focus on two species of host-specific feather lice (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera) that co-occur on feral rock pigeons (Columba livia). Although these lice are ecologically very similar, "wing lice" (Columbicola columbae) disperse phoretically by "hitchhiking" on pigeon flies (Diptera: Hippoboscidae), while "body lice" (Campanulotes compar) do not. Differences in the phoretic dispersal of these species are thought to underlie observed differences in host specificity, as well as the degree of host-parasite cospeciation. These ecological and macroevolutionary patterns suggest that body lice should exhibit more genetic differentiation than wing lice. We tested this prediction among lice on individual birds and among lice on birds from three pigeon flocks. We found higher levels of genetic differentiation in body lice compared to wing lice at two spatial scales. Our results indicate that differences in phoretic dispersal can explain microevolutionary differences in population genetic structure and are consistent with macroevolutionary differences in the degree of host-parasite cospeciation.

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Does allopreening control avian ectoparasites?

Cited by 23 publications

References 22 publications

Host Cognition and Parasitism in Birds: A Review of the Main Mechanisms

Host Cognition and Parasitism in Birds: A Review of the Main Mechanisms

Allopreening in birds is associated with parental cooperation over offspring care and stable pair bonds across years

Phoretic dispersal influences parasite population genetic structure

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