# Scientific term for a fungus, parasite, virus, etc. changing behavior and/or physiology of the host?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-term-for-a-fungus-parasite-virus-etc-changing-behavior-and-or-physiology-of-the-host/942584>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 20, 2021, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-term-for-a-fungus-parasite-virus-etc-changing-behavior-and-or-physiology-of-the-host/942584 "2021-05-20T23:44:10Z")\
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**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-term-for-a-fungus-parasite-virus-etc-changing-behavior-and-or-physiology-of-the-host/942584/6 "2021-05-21T23:55:28Z")

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The example I thought of was the zombie ant fungus and wiki on that

> **[Ophiocordyceps unilateralis](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiocordyceps_unilateralis)**
>
> Torrubia unilateralis Tul. (1865)
> Cordyceps unilateralis (Tul.) Sacc. (1883)
> Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, commonly known as zombie-ant fungus, is an insect-pathogenic fungus, discovered by the British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace in 1859, and currently found predominantly in tropical forest ecosystems. O. unilateralis infects ants of the tribe Camponotini, with the full pathogenesis being characterized by alteration of the behavioral patterns of the infected ant. Infected hosts leave thei...

calls it

> [@](#):
>
> ### Extended phenotype[Edit](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ophiocordyceps_unilateralis&action=edit&section=16)
> 
> Some parasites have evolved to manipulate their host’s behavior in order to increase their transmission to uninfected susceptible individuals, thereby increasing their fitness.[[20]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiocordyceps_unilateralis#cite_note-Pontoppidan2009-20) This host manipulation is termed the “extended phenotype” of the parasite and is a form of adaptation. Host ant manipulation by _O. unilateralis_ represents one of the best-known examples of extended phenotypes.[[10]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiocordyceps_unilateralis#cite_note-Hughes_2011-10)

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