Grooming Behavior as a Mechanism of Insect Disease Defense

Abstract

Grooming is a well-recognized, multipurpose, behavior in arthropods and vertebrates. In this paper, we review the literature to highlight the physical function, neurophysiological mechanisms, and role that grooming plays in insect defense against pathogenic infection. The intricate relationships between the physical, neurological and immunological mechanisms of grooming are discussed to illustrate the importance of this behavior when examining the ecology of insect-pathogen interactions.

New insights into the infection of the American cockroachPeriplaneta americananymphs withMetarhizium anisopliaes.l. (Ascomycota: Hypocreales)

“…A large portion of conidia on the dorsal thorax and abdomen that are not easily accessible on either the antennae or forelegs were still removed by the nymphs through an auto-grooming behaviour common in cockroaches, including P. americana (B€ or€ oczky et al 2013;Zhukovskaya et al 2013). The mutual grooming between different individuals reported in social insects that had been treated previously with conidia of entomopathogenic fungi or in the control (Yanagawa et al 2009(Yanagawa et al , 2010 was not detected in the present study.…”

Social immunity and the evolution of group living in insects

“…For instance, frass removal can serve to limit parasite establishment in the nesting habitats, but also to eliminate chemical cues used by parasites to detect host presence, or simply to free space from confined areas [56]. Allogrooming not only helps individuals to remove ectoparasites, but also to share chemical compounds with other nest-mates and consequently to improve the accuracy of nest-mate recognition by homogenizing chemical signatures among group members [108]. Finally, increasing genetic diversity prophylactically limits the spread of parasites among group members, but also shapes the level of social conflicts (e.g.…”

The Time Budget of Javan Deer ( Rusa timorensis , Blainville 1822) in Panaitan Island, Ujung Kulon National Park, Banten, Indonesia

“…Grooming was conducted from morning to afternoon in between of other activities. The function of grooming has been reported to reduce tick load for in wild baboons (Akinyi et al 2013), insect defense against pathogenic infection (Zhukovskaya et al 2013), and as an incentive for helper (Lazaro-Perea et al 2004). …”