Cryptic diversity and patterns of host specificity in trematode flatworms

Molecular Ecology
Alexander Hayward

Abstract

The widespread utilization of molecular markers has revealed that a broad spectrum of taxa contain sets of morphologically cryptic, but genetically distinct lineages (Bickford et al. 2007). The identification of cryptic taxa is important as an accurate appreciation of diversity is crucial for a proper understanding of evolutionary and ecological processes. An example is the study of host specificity in parasitic taxa, where an apparent generalist may be found to contain a complex of several more specific species (Smith et al. 2006). Host specificity is a key life history trait that varies greatly among parasites (Poulin & Keeney 2007). While some can exploit a wide range of hosts, others are confined to just a single species. Access to additional hosts increases the resources available to a parasite. However, physiological or ecological constraints can restrict the extension of host range. Furthermore, there may be a trade-off between relaxed specificity and performance: generalism can decrease a parasites ability to adapt to each individual host species, and increase exposure to competition from other parasites (Poulin 1998). Despite the central role that host specificity plays in parasite life history, relatively little is kn...Continue Reading

References

Jan 30, 1999·International Journal for Parasitology·D A Windsor
Oct 19, 2005·Advances in Parasitology·Matthew J Nolan, Thomas H Cribb
Mar 1, 2006·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·M Alex SmithPaul D N Hebert
Nov 30, 2006·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·David BickfordIndraneil Das
Nov 21, 2007·Trends in Parasitology·Robert Poulin, Devon B Keeney
May 29, 2009·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Robert R DunnNavjot S Sodhi

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