Paterson A M, Poulin R
Ecology and Entomology Group, Lincoln University, New Zealand.
Syst Parasitol. 1999 Oct;44(2):79-85. doi: 10.1023/a:1006255822947.
Chondracanthid copepods parasites many teleost species and have a mobile larval stage. It has been suggested that copepod parasites, with free-living infective stages that infect hosts by attaching to their external surfaces, will have co-evolved with their hosts. We examined copepods from the genus Chondracanthus and their teleost hosts for evidence of a close co-evolutionary association by comparing host and parasite phylogenies using TreeMap analysis. In general, significant co-speciation was observed and instances of host switching were rare. The prevalence of intra-host speciation events was high relative to other such studies and may relate to the large geographical distances over which hosts are spread.
