The notion that shifts to new hosts can initiate insect speciation is more than 150 years old,
yet widespread conflation with paradigms of sympatric speciation has led to confusion about …

Herein we review theoretical and methodological considerations important for finding and
delimiting cryptic species of parasites (species that are difficult to recognize using traditional …

We conducted an extensive literature review on studies that have used DNA sequences to
detect cryptic species of parasites during the last decade. Each literature citation that …

Abstract Background Sucking lice (Phthiraptera: Anoplura) are obligate, permanent
ectoparasites of eutherian mammals, parasitizing members of 12 of the 29 recognized …

The recognition of cryptic parasite species has implications for evolutionary and population-
based studies of wildlife and human disease. Echinostome trematodes are a widely …

Parasites that exploit multiple hosts often experience diversifying selection for host-specific
adaptations. This can result in multiple strains of host specialists coexisting within a single …

Ecological theory traditionally predicts that interspecific competition selects for an increase
in ecological specialization. Specialization, in turn, is often thought to be an evolutionary …

Understanding how environmental parameters interact to govern species distributions is a
shared goal of ecology and biogeography. Biotic and abiotic conditions can change …

Parasitic “wing lice”(Phthiraptera: Columbicola) and their dove and pigeon hosts are a well-
recognized model system for coevolutionary studies at the intersection of micro-and …

South Africa boasts a rich diversity of small mammals of which several are commensal and
harbour parasites of zoonotic importance. However, limited information is available on the …