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From an evolutionary perspective, this is probably one of the few types of parasites that dramatically improve your fitness (kind of by definition).
by biomcgary 12y ago
From an evolutionary perspective, this is probably one of the few types of parasites that dramatically improve your fitness (kind of by definition).
- 3am 12y agoFrom a purely technical viewpoint, parasitism is always antagonistic/bad. If not, it's called mutualism or commensalism. Not disagreeing with your real point, just being pedantic. edit: to biomcgary, two points: first - i was taught that parasitism is by definition bad but actual interactions between species can fall along a spectrum of mutualistic and parasitic (and individual and specific effects may differ). second - it really ought to be moot since these terms refer interspecific interaction, right? I did a little googling before this edit, and yes, i see intraspecific brood parasitism and such... anyway, enough digression from me. I just think it's an overly-clever corruption of the actual concept of parasitism to describe a fetus as one. It's like calling a hill a parasite because it takes effort to walk up one.
- biomcgary 12y agoYou may be trying to be pedantic, but, to be meta-pedantic, your point highlights that two different conclusions are reasonable depending on the scale of analysis. At a functional level, a fetus takes nutrients from mom without returning any benefit (thus a parasite), but from the longer term perspective of evolution the relationship is mutualistic.
- rmrfrmrf 12y agoNo benefit? What about a near-constant stream of endorphins and oxytocin?
- sarink87 12y agoYeah! Or the increased risk of death and sickness! If tapeworms released endorphins, would it also not be a parasite? parasite (noun): an organism that lives in or on another organism (its host) and benefits by deriving nutrients at the host's expense.
- deleted 12y ago[deleted]
- 3am 12y agoThanks for the 4 downvotes so far. I have a formal education in biology and my points were correct. Sorry about the tone. I guess we're valuing style over substance now.
- sbierwagen 12y agoIt was a needlessly pedantic dissection of a stupid joke, one which itself should be downvoted to -4.