Protocalliphora larvae: moderate but lasting carry-over effects on yearling and mother coloration
2025
Tchana, Christian, N | Fargevieille, Amélie | Sandmeyer, Lisa | del Rey-Granado, María | Grégoire, Arnaud | Teplitsky, Céline | Loiseau, Claire | Doutrelant, Claire | Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE) ; École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE) ; Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [Occitanie])-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut Agro Montpellier ; Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Université de Montpellier Paul-Valéry (UMPV) | Maladies infectieuses et vecteurs : écologie, génétique, évolution et contrôle (MIVEGEC) ; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [Occitanie])-Université de Montpellier (UM) | SEE-Life (long-term Studies in Ecology and Evolution); OSU-OREME (Observatoire de Recherche Méditerranéen de l'Environnement); BNP-Paribas Foundation "Climate and Biodiversity"; Languedoc-Roussillon region "chercheur d'avenir" | ANR-09-JCJC-0050,SEX-FEM-POP,Evaluation de l'importance de la sélection sexuelle sur les traits femelles et de ses conséquences sur la viabilité des populations(2009) | ANR-12-ADAP-0006,PEPS,Potentiel évolutif en populations sauvages(2012) | European Project: 337365,EC:FP7:ERC,ERC-2013-StG,SHE(2014)
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Show more [+] Less [-]English. Abstract Parasites play a significant role in the evolution of their hosts, influencing a wide range of traits, including animal signals such as coloration. While the direct effects of parasitism on coloration are well-documented, it remains unclear whether these effects persist beyond the parasitized phase, leading to direct carry-over effects. Additionally, the impact of parasitism on parental investment may have indirect consequences for the parents themselves, potentially affecting their coloration. We analyzed a 20-year dataset to estimate both direct and indirect long-term effects of the ectoparasite Protocalliphora sp. on blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) and their plumage color. This ectoparasite only affects the nestling stage but is also known to increase parental care. We measured the impact of ectoparasites on nestling condition and then quantified their long-term effects on the colorations produced during the subsequent molt in i) parasitized individuals at their yearling stage, and ii) parents that had reared parasitized nestlings. Our analyses focused on a carotenoid-based (yellow patch) and a structural (blue patch) plumage coloration. Our finding revealed that parasite load was negatively correlated with nestling condition. We also found long-term effects of Protocalliphora larvae on yearling coloration, reducing brightness of the yellow patch in individuals from large broods. In parents that reared parasitized nestlings, we observed lasting consequences in coloration reducing brightness of the yellow patch in both parents but decreasing blue patch intensity only in mothers. This study supports the hypothesis that early life parasitism can have lasting effect on ornaments of parasitized individuals, as well as carry-over indirect effects on parent ornaments.
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