We investigated thermoregulatory behavior in seven locust and grasshopper species from tropical and temperate climate following the infection by three species of entomopathogenic fungi. Insects were monitored for four days following fungus inoculation and thermal preference was assessed using a temperature gradient. When introduced in the temperature gradient, both infected and non-infected insects raised their body temperature by selecting warmer areas. However, except for one grasshopper species, all infected insects developed a behavioral fever as their preferred body temperatures were usually higher than those of healthy, uninfected counterparts. The three pathogen species elicited behavioral fever, although differences were observed among fungus-insect associations. Behavioral fever occurred in species regardless of their climatic origin.
Species 1: Orthoptera Acrididae Locusta migratoria (migratory locust)
Species 2: Orthoptera Acrididae Zonocerus variegatus (variegated grasshopper)
Species 3: Orthoptera Acrididae Melanoplus sanguinipes (migratory grasshopper)
Keywords: infection, fungi
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