Often when discussing species that go extinct, someone will say that we could do without mosquitos, which not only bite but also spread disease. We wiped out smallpox, didn't we? There are plenty of other parasites that cause misery, like fleas, ticks, intestinal worms, and those horrible parasites that cause their hosts to become zombies. But like other species, they have their place in the ecosystem, and causing them, or even letting them, go extinct may not be in the host species' best interests.
“We need to reframe how we think about parasites,” says Kayce C. Bell, assistant curator of terrestrial mammals at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. “They are really important animals to keep around. They help host populations, and they are so under-studied that there’s the potential they can go extinct before we know what they are doing in the ecosystems.” Bell studies genetic diversity in ground squirrels, and over time has come to appreciate the role parasites play in keeping squirrel populations healthy. In fact, she says, specific species of parasites have evolved along with their squirrel hosts to help ward off other invading parasites that could kill them.
Find out about several ways parasites may be good for a host species, if not the individual animal, at Wired. -via Damn Interesting
(Image credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
