Parasitism
Getting warmer – How will climate change shape disease?
Is a warmer world really a sicker world? When it comes to the ocean, it’s not always that clear. However, by looking at diseases in coastal waters, we may be able to get a better sense of what the future holds. Kristin HuizengaI am a PhD student studying Biological Oceanography at the University of Rhode […]
Wormception: How one parasite lives inside its cousin
Where do worms live? In the dirt, on sidewalks after a rain storm, and on the bottom of the sea in muddy sediments. A new study has revealed a new species of ocean worm along with its peculiar living arrangements – inside other ocean worms. Anastasia YandulskayaI am a PhD candidate at Northeastern University in […]
Where other bugs fear to tread: seals carry superdiving lice
Seals carry their lice everywhere they go, including their deep dives in the ocean. But how do seal lice fare under the crushing water pressure? Miraculously, they live, which makes them the only insects known to survive under the sea. Anastasia YandulskayaI am a PhD candidate at Northeastern University in Boston. I study regeneration of […]
What can you do for love?
Some people would tell you that they believe in big romantic gestures, while others believe in small, thoughtful actions. But would you alter your immune system for love? Swann, J. B., Holland, S. J., Petersen, M., Pietsch, T. W., & Boehm, T. (2020). The immunogenetics of sexual parasitism. Science. Saumya SiloriHi, I am a Ph.D. […]
Coming Home to Roost: A case of parasites relying on ancestral DNA to take advantage of a new penguin host species?
Parasites are nasty and resilient organisms, often highly specialized to fit their hosts. But sometimes, nature allows a bit of wiggle room, opportunity strikes, and new species find themselves vulnerable to these unwelcome houseguests. This could be what has happened to Magellanic penguins. Curious to learn more? Click here! Andrea SchlunkI am a former PhD […]
Grunts and Gnathiids: One Fish’s Daily Migration to Escape Parasites?
Animals move for a number of reasons. The French grunt leaves the coral reefs at night for seagrass. A group of scientists proposes and provides good evidence for why they might do that! Read on to discover whether they’re leaving to avoid being parasitized? Rebecca FlynnI am a graduate of the University of Notre Dame […]
Can being sick be a good thing for surviving ocean acidification?
Scientists (myself included!) have been doing a lot of work on how marine animals respond to rising carbon dioxide (CO2) levels, but CO2 alone isn’t the only problem. This study looks at how having a parasite affects survival in marine snails exposed to high CO2 – do they survive longer in those conditions with or […]
Better Together: Mutualisms contribute to reef fish recruitment
All other things being equal, would you rather live where mutually beneficial relationships are available or where they aren’t? Well, if you’re like me, you’d prefer beneficial relationships. And I’m not alone in that. It turns out that damselfish on reefs prefer to settle where there are cleaner wrasses to keep them parasite-free. Read on […]
It’s a virus’ world: Glaciers host unique viral communities
Scientists have only recently started studying the wealth of biological diversity that is found on top of glaciers. Cryoconite holes hold microscopic communities of algae, bacteria, and viruses. These studies are revealing an increasingly complex web of interactions between community members, driving the evolution of many unique adaptations to survive in such stiff competition. Irvin […]
Sex and parasitism on the open sea and in a fish’s mouth.
Parisites live in fish mouths and undergo opportunistic sex changes. Sarah GiltzI am a doctoral candidate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Tulane University. My research focuses on the larval dispersal and development of the blue crab in the Gulf of Mexico. When not concerning myself with the plight of tiny crustaceans I can be […]
Gulls in Argentina bully whales into changing their behavior
Whales are a lot like people: if something’s annoying or hurting you, you’ll go out of your way to avoid it, and whales do the same thing. This study out of Argentina focuses on how gull attacks have changed the way southern right whales breathe. Read on to find out what they do differently! Erin […]
Sunday brunch: Lox with… lice?
Lox and lice. Not a combination of critters you envision when planning your Sunday brunch. Unfortunately, an increase in drug resistant sea lice is threatening both wild and farmed salmonid populations. Sarah FullerWith academic backgrounds in oceanography, geology, and environmental education, Sarah has traveled to far reaches of the planet to learn everything she can […]
Deadly Dino’s
Copepods dominate the world’s oceans. They are important in the marine food web and help to regulate the global carbon cycle. Being abundant in the ocean is not always fun. Copepods attract attention from infectious parasites, especially from a certain species of dinoflagellate. What potential effects can this parasite have on copepods and what other […]
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