Open AccessExperimental studies in insect parasitism III—host selection
Author(s) -
George Salt
Publication year - 1935
Publication title -
proceedings of the royal society of london. series b, biological sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2053-9193
pISSN - 0080-4649
DOI - 10.1098/rspb.1935.0037
Subject(s) - host (biology) , parasitism , selection (genetic algorithm) , biology , parasite hosting , principal (computer security) , evolutionary biology , zoology , insect , ecology , computer science , artificial intelligence , computer security , world wide web
Every parasite has a number, one or more, of host species which it will attack. The inclusion in this number of some species and the exclusion from it of others implies a process of selection on the part of the parasite which is usually known as “host selection.” That parasites do choose certain hosts from the larger number of animals available to them is a well-known fact; but why they choose those particular species and reject others remains unknown. That, indeed, is the principal problem of host selection—to discover the criteria used by a parasite in selecting its hosts.