1. observations
  2. Oh for the love of Parasites...

Oh for the love of Parasites...

By cwilcox on February 18, 2010.

I know I have failed on delivering you your weekly/monthly parasite posts. It's not for a lack of fascinating, sci-fi worthy parasites, but for a lack of time on my part. I'm afraid these posts keep slipping to the back burner, then getting forgotten about altogether as deadlines for grants, papers and all the rest set in. So, I think it's time to retire the Sci-Fi Worthy Parasites, at least for awhile. I will continue to post any cool new studies involving my favorite little critters, though - I promise!

I would hate for those of you who adore reading about twisted little menaces to feel slighted. Luckily, a curator at the American Museum of National History by the name of Susan Perkins has picked up where I am leaving off, and then some! She and her crew of collaborators are posting about a different parasite EVERY SINGLE DAY for the entire year to showcase the importance and incredible diversity of parasites as a part of the International Year of Biodiversity. So if you're hankering for a good creepy crawly feeling, head over to Parasite of the Day and get all the blood-sucking, skin-boring goodness you can handle.

Tags
Uncategorized

More like this

This Weeks Sci-Fi Worthy Parasite
One of the largest groups of parasites, the trematodes, have all kinds of strategies to trasmit between hosts. The genus Microphallus causes its hosts like shrimp, to swim upwards or otherwise endanger themselves so that they are eaten by the parasites next host - birds. Sure, it looks harmless…
This Week's Sci-Fi Worthy Parasite
So you're sitting there, reading the paper, when you notice your head's a bit itchy. Dry skin? Maybe. Irritated scalp? It's possible. Of course it could be something far more sinister... It could be every parent and school teacher's worst nightmare: Lice. Lice, the kind that is the bane of…
This Week's Sci-Fi Worthy Parasite
Ah, I know, I missed a parasite last week. I was on vacation. So sue me. Anyhow, this week's lovely parasite is worth the wait. Meet the Loa Loa worm. Loa Loa worms ( Loa Loa filaria) are a kind of filarial nematode which is spread by fly bite. Filarial nematodes are a lovely bunch of parasites,…
This Week's Sci-Fi Worthy Parasite: Schistosoma spp.
Yeah, those caterpillar mimicking trematodes were impressive. But we humans have our own trematodes which are pretty nasty, too. One group of trematodes which uses humans as a final host is the genus Schistosoma, like Schistosoma masonii on the right. Like other trematodes, Schistosoma spp. have…