Habitat selection by helminths: a hypothesis.
How do liver worms find the liver? Why are heartworms always found in the heart? Attempts to answer these questions have invariably yielded inconclusive results. A major problem has been the use of models or hypotheses derived from studies of free-living organisms. The parasite's environment is distinct from free-living environments in several fundamental ways and these differences will impact on the evolution of parasite behaviours. In this article, Michael Sukhdeo outlines a hypothesis for habitat selection behavior of helminths that is based on the specific environmental conditions within the host.
Sukhdeo
M V
MV
Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Cool College, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA.