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The surprising life of horsetail worms: Why do they control the behavior of insects?
Found in moist environments, hidden in gutters, swimming pools and streams, they may look like nematodes, but the life cycle and biology of the horsetail worm are full of surprises and mysteries. These insect parasites are able to manipulate their hosts' behavior to get them into the water, providing the worms with an opportunity to thrive and reproduce. In exploring the world of these "natural manipulators," we can't help but wonder how exactly do horsetail worms influence host behavior?
Biological characteristics of horsetail worm
Nematomorpha, scientific name, has a slender and soft body, most species are between 50 and 100 mm in length, and in extreme cases can even reach 2 meters. They live in moist environments and primarily parasitize various arthropods, such as beetles and crickets. The adult horsetail is a free-living organism, but it parasitizes the host during its larval stage.
The larvae of the horsetail worm live in a puzzling way, growing inside a host and eventually coming under the influence of the host's nervous system, thus manipulating the host's behavior.
Mysterious power to control the host
The horsetail worm is able to manipulate the host's nervous system, causing it to feel an intense thirst for water, ultimately causing the host to jump into the water to help the worm complete its life cycle. This behavior demonstrates a subtle and complex interplay between organisms, with the manipulative nature of the worms being most evident in Paragordius tricuspidatus and Spinochordodes tellinii. These horsetail worms make water an important channel for insects that are originally reluctant to approach water.
Many genes are thought to be passed on by means of horizontal gene transfer, allowing the worm to adapt and influence the behavior of the host organism.
Roles in the Ecological Community
The role of horsetails in the ecosystem cannot be underestimated. According to a study in Japan, infected insects such as grasshoppers are 20 times more likely to enter the water than uninfected ones, which has an obvious impact on the food chain. Metaphor. These infected insects may become a key source of energy intake for other organisms, and the absence of the horsetail may lead to changes in other food chains in this ecosystem.
Classification of horsetail worms
While horsetails are similar to nematodes and other insects, their biology makes them unique. Their phylogenetic position is also quite special, and they are related to some aquatic organisms in South America. Of the more than 320 known species of horsetail worms, only five live in marine environments. These species belong to the order Nectonematoida, while most of the others live in freshwater.
Horsetails have a unique and complex life cycle, and are able to obtain necessary genes from the nature of their host and reproduce in the host.
Humans’ encounter with horsetail worms
Interestingly, horsetail worms occasionally parasitize other vertebrates, including dogs, cats, and even humans. Some cases of infection with the horsetail have been reported in Japan and China. This highlights the powerful survival capabilities of the horsetail worm and its impact on the ecosystem.
The amazing manipulation ability and unique biological characteristics of the horsetail worm have not only triggered in-depth research on parasitic behavior in the scientific community, but also provided a window for us to understand the complex relationship between organisms. In the struggle of nature, why do these tiny creatures have such enormous power?
