Ponton Fleur auteur aut IRD Biron David auteur aut IRD Moore J. auteur aut IRD Moller A.P. auteur aut IRD Thomas F. auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf born digital access Examples of behavioural manipulation by parasites are numerous, but the processes underlying these changes are not well characterized. From an evolutionary point of view, behavioural changes in infected hosts have often been interpreted as illustrations of the extended phenotype concept, in which genes in one organism (the parasite) have phenotypic effects on another organism (the host). Here, we approach the problem differently, suggesting that hosts, by cooperating with manipulative parasites rather than resisting them, might mitigate fitness costs associated with manipulation. By imposing extra fitness costs on their hosts in the absence of compliance, parasites theoretically have the potential to select for cooperative behaviour by their hosts. Although this 'mafia-like' strategy remains poorly documented, we believe that it has substantial potential to resolve issues specific to the evolution of behavioural alterations induced by parasites. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. specialized extended phenotype mafia like strategy manipulation parasite virulence 020 72 1 1-5 2006 0376-6357 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010035576 10.1016/j.beproc.2005.10.005 0376-6357 [F B010035576] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010035576 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/intranet/publi/2006/04/010035576.pdf Accès réservé (Intranet de l'IRD) IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2006-05-05 2017-08-23 fdi:010035576 fre