- #1
aychamo
- 375
- 0
Hey guys;
I just started a class in parasitology this fall, we haven't covered anything yet, just looked as some cases of people infected with parasites.
I was wondering how obligate parasites could have evolved. My thinking is that they were originally facultative parasites that found a niche in a host, and did so well in the host that features that would separate an obligate and facultative parasite were no longer selected for or against, thus eventually leaving a vestigial trait (such as eyes in blind cave bats).
I guess that makes sense? Since they were already in the host, things that would let them survive outside the host were no longer necessary and weren't a target of natural selection? Since natural selection wouldn't act on them, their quality would not matter and they could then become vestigial.
Assuming this is correct, would it be possible to look at an obligate parasite and see any vestigial traits?
Thank you
Aychamo
I just started a class in parasitology this fall, we haven't covered anything yet, just looked as some cases of people infected with parasites.
I was wondering how obligate parasites could have evolved. My thinking is that they were originally facultative parasites that found a niche in a host, and did so well in the host that features that would separate an obligate and facultative parasite were no longer selected for or against, thus eventually leaving a vestigial trait (such as eyes in blind cave bats).
I guess that makes sense? Since they were already in the host, things that would let them survive outside the host were no longer necessary and weren't a target of natural selection? Since natural selection wouldn't act on them, their quality would not matter and they could then become vestigial.
Assuming this is correct, would it be possible to look at an obligate parasite and see any vestigial traits?
Thank you
Aychamo