Social evolution: Diverse divisions of labor in trematode parasites

Ryan F Hechinger; Daniel C G Metz

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2023.10.029

Social evolution: Diverse divisions of labor in trematode parasites

Curr Biol. 2023 Dec 4;33(23):R1238-R1240. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.10.029.

Authors

Ryan F Hechinger¹, Daniel C G Metz²

Affiliations

¹ Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA. Electronic address: rhechinger@ucsd.edu.
² School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA.

PMID: 38052175
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.10.029

Abstract

Some animal societies solve problems, like foraging or defense, by cooperatively dividing labor. A new discovery highlights that trematodes are unique in forming different societies at multiple parts of their complex life cycle with distinct divisions of labor to solve different problems.

MeSH terms

Animals
Life Cycle Stages
Parasites*
Trematoda*