O efeito da umidade e de fatores edáficos na dinâmica de infecção e na manipulação comportamental de formigas infectadas por fungos entomopatogênicos em uma floresta de terra firme da Amazônia Central

Abstract

The fungi of the genus Ophiocordyceps parasite several species of ants, manipulating the behavior (extended phenotype) of their hosts. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of air humidity and HAND on the occurrence and expression of the extended phenotype of ants parasitized by the most abundant entomopathogenic fungi Ophiocordyceps unilateralis sl, O. kniphofioides Sl And O. australis s.l. Fifteen 250 - m - long plots were monitored seven times over 14 months, actively searching for corpses of parasitic ants biting leaf tissue, buried in mosses of trees, hugged in sticks, or on the ground. There were 4,277 parasitized ants, distributed in 26 species and 4 morphotypes. The fungus complex O. unilateralis s.l. Was the most abundant, with 3,811 ants parasitized and the ant species Camponotus atriceps was the most abundant, representing 2,599 parasitized ants. The occurrence and extended phenotype of the species of ants parasitized by O. australis s.l. And O. kniphofioides s.l. Had no relation to air humidity and HAND. The species of C. atriceps and C. bispinosus parasitized by O. unilateralis s.l. Had more parasitized individuals when the air humidity was higher, and these ants die at higher altitudes after periods of higher air humidity. Conversely, the abundance and height of C. senex parasitized was higher when the HAND was consequently drier. These results suggest that air humidity and HAND can control both the occurrence and expression of the phenotype of some parasites. In addition, the response to the same environmental gradient depends on the parasite species in question.