Photo credit: Brian Lund Fredensborg
University of Copenhagen researchers have discovered a strange parasite that transforms seemingly normal ants into zombies during specific times of the day. These liver flukes essentially take over the ant’s brain and control when they climb up blades of grass for grazers to eat.. Once the ant is infected, they multiply in the hundreds, with one parasite taking over the brain and influencing its behavior.
The other parasites remain in the ant’s abdomen protected by a capsule where they await to get transported into their next host. This is when the liver flukes make their way into the liver and feed on blood before developing into egg-laying adult flukes. After secreting the eggs, they lay dormant on the ground waiting for a snail to crawl by and consume them. Researchers found that when the temperature was low like at sunrise, the infected ants were attached to the top of a blade of grass, and when temperatures rose, they would retreat underground for cover.
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Historically, parasites have never really been focused on that much, despite there being scientific sources which say that parasitism is the most widespread life form. This is in part due to the fact that parasites are quite difficult to study. Nevertheless, the hidden world of parasites forms a significant part of biodiversity, and by changing the host’s behavior, they can help determine who eats what in nature. That’s why they’re important for us to understand,” said Brian Lund Fredensborg, Associate Professor at University of Copenhagen.
