The specificity of behavioral fever in the cricket Acheta domesticus. 1998

S A Adamo
Department of Psychology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.

When infected, some insects can raise their body temperature by moving to warmer areas. This behavioral fever response can help the host overcome infection. However, not all parasites and pathogens are equally susceptible to increases in host temperature. Elevating the temperature of the cricket Acheta domesticus from room temperature (22 C) to 33 C did not reduce the survival of parasitoid flies or reduce the number of gregarine gut protozoans, and crickets infested with these parasites showed no increase in their temperature preference. Warmer temperatures (33 C) did not increase the survival of crickets infected with the bacterium Serratia marcescens, and infected crickets did not prefer warmer temperatures. However crickets infected with the intracellular parasite Rickettsiella grylli were more likely to survive when the host was exposed to warmer temperatures. Crickets infected with R. grylli increased their preferred temperature from 26 C to 32 C. In A. domesticus, behavioral fever may be a specific response induced by relatively few pathogens and parasites. Behavioral fever in insects may differ in this respect from fever in mammals that can be elicited by a wide variety of parasites and pathogens.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D001833 Body Temperature Regulation The processes of heating and cooling that an organism uses to control its temperature. Heat Loss,Thermoregulation,Regulation, Body Temperature,Temperature Regulation, Body,Body Temperature Regulations,Heat Losses,Loss, Heat,Losses, Heat,Regulations, Body Temperature,Temperature Regulations, Body,Thermoregulations
D004175 Diptera An order of the class Insecta. Wings, when present, number two and distinguish Diptera from other so-called flies, while the halteres, or reduced hindwings, separate Diptera from other insects with one pair of wings. The order includes the families Calliphoridae, Oestridae, Phoridae, SARCOPHAGIDAE, Scatophagidae, Sciaridae, SIMULIIDAE, Tabanidae, Therevidae, Trypetidae, CERATOPOGONIDAE; CHIRONOMIDAE; CULICIDAE; DROSOPHILIDAE; GLOSSINIDAE; MUSCIDAE; TEPHRITIDAE; and PSYCHODIDAE. The larval form of Diptera species are called maggots (see LARVA). Flies, True,Flies,Dipteras,Fly,Fly, True,True Flies,True Fly
D006135 Gryllidae The family Gryllidae consists of the common house cricket, Acheta domesticus, which is used in neurological and physiological studies. Other genera include Gryllotalpa (mole cricket); Gryllus (field cricket); and Oecanthus (tree cricket). Crickets,Cricket
D006358 Hot Temperature Presence of warmth or heat or a temperature notably higher than an accustomed norm. Heat,Hot Temperatures,Temperature, Hot,Temperatures, Hot
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001522 Behavior, Animal The observable response an animal makes to any situation. Autotomy Animal,Animal Behavior,Animal Behaviors
D012706 Serratia marcescens A species of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria found in soil, water, food, and clinical specimens. It is a prominent opportunistic pathogen for hospitalized patients.
D013045 Species Specificity The restriction of a characteristic behavior, anatomical structure or physical system, such as immune response; metabolic response, or gene or gene variant to the members of one species. It refers to that property which differentiates one species from another but it is also used for phylogenetic levels higher or lower than the species. Species Specificities,Specificities, Species,Specificity, Species
D056890 Eukaryota One of the three domains of life (the others being BACTERIA and ARCHAEA), also called Eukarya. These are organisms whose cells are enclosed in membranes and possess a nucleus. They comprise almost all multicellular and many unicellular organisms, and are traditionally divided into groups (sometimes called kingdoms) including ANIMALS; PLANTS; FUNGI; and various algae and other taxa that were previously part of the old kingdom Protista. Eukaryotes,Eucarya,Eukarya,Eukaryotas,Eukaryote

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