Parasite Relationships
Living beings dwelling on earth are associated with various relationships and most often the associations prove beneficial. In some cases some harmful microbes do involve in certain relationship which lead to harmful effect. Most of the pathogens and parasites involve in parasitic or pathogenic relationships with the host and the gain is one side resulting in deterioration of host.
Parasitism is one such association between different species where one gets benefitted and other gets harmed. Most of the parasites have two different life cycle forms to spread the infection to the primary host and uses the secondary host as carrier. The term parasite refers to the organisms with the presence of life forms which include more than one host and can be called either macroparasites (representing protozoa and helminthes) or microparasites such as bacteria, viruses and other microforms of harmful microbes.
Ectoparasites: These represent the parasites that live on the host surface.
Endoparasites: These are found inside the host and live there. Most of the endoparasites are either intracellular or intercellular. The endoparasites generally use third organism as carrier and lodge into the host body.
Epiparasites: Feeds on other parasites and is also referred as hyperparasitism.
Social parasites: Interacts with ants, termites. Most commonly seen as brood parasitism as seen cuckoo and cowbird.
Parasitoids: These are the organisms whose development at the larval stage takes place in and out of other organism and lead to death of the host.
As part of host defense mechanism most parasites develop certain adaptations to improve parasitic nature. Roundworm eggs represent classical example of best evolved case in parasitism. Henceforth many organisms are capable to infect large number of host species and more closely associated with result of success in infection.
Living beings dwelling on earth are associated with various relationships and most often the associations prove beneficial. In some cases some harmful microbes do involve in certain relationship which lead to harmful effect. Most of the pathogens and parasites involve in parasitic or pathogenic relationships with the host and the gain is one side resulting in deterioration of host.
Parasitism is one such association between different species where one gets benefitted and other gets harmed. Most of the parasites have two different life cycle forms to spread the infection to the primary host and uses the secondary host as carrier. The term parasite refers to the organisms with the presence of life forms which include more than one host and can be called either macroparasites (representing protozoa and helminthes) or microparasites such as bacteria, viruses and other microforms of harmful microbes.
Types of Parasitism or Parasite Relationships
Most of the parasites are classified upon the interactions which they have with the hosts and also on the pattern of life cycle.Ectoparasites: These represent the parasites that live on the host surface.
Endoparasites: These are found inside the host and live there. Most of the endoparasites are either intracellular or intercellular. The endoparasites generally use third organism as carrier and lodge into the host body.
Epiparasites: Feeds on other parasites and is also referred as hyperparasitism.
Social parasites: Interacts with ants, termites. Most commonly seen as brood parasitism as seen cuckoo and cowbird.
Parasitoids: These are the organisms whose development at the larval stage takes place in and out of other organism and lead to death of the host.
Evolutionary Significance of Parasite Relationships
Evolutionists believe that parasitism represents a common way of life which arises as part of evolutionary process. Most of the parasites evolve due to the inbuilt response towards defense mechanism of hosts. Most of host defense include toxins normally produced by plants which upon contact to body fluids and towards behavioral defense.As part of host defense mechanism most parasites develop certain adaptations to improve parasitic nature. Roundworm eggs represent classical example of best evolved case in parasitism. Henceforth many organisms are capable to infect large number of host species and more closely associated with result of success in infection.
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