Toxoplasma gondii, sex and premature rejection.
Adaptive sex ratio theory explains why gametocyte sex ratios are female-biased in many populations of apicomplexan parasites such as Plasmodium and Toxoplasma. Recently, Ferguson has criticized this framework and proposed two alternative explanations--one for vector-borne parasites (e.g. Plasmodium) and one for Toxoplasma. Ferguson raises some interesting issues that certainly deserve more empirical attention. However, it should be pointed out that: (1) there are theoretical and empirical problems for his alternative hypotheses; and (2) existing empirical data support the application of sex ratio theory to these parasites, not its rejection.
West
Stuart A
SA
Institute of Cell, Animal and Population Biology, University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings, West Mains Road, EH9 3JT, Edinburgh, UK. stu.west@ed.ac.uk <stu.west@ed.ac.uk>
Reece
Sarah E
SE
Read
Andrew F
AF
D000818:Animals; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D008018:Life Cycle Stages / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D012744:Sex Ratio; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*