Switching from one host to the next is a critical life history transition in parasites with complex life cycles. Growth and mortality rates are thought to influence the optimal time and size at transm
Little is known about the intraspecific variation of parasite life-history traits and on how this variation may affect parasite fitness and evolution. We investigated how life-history traits predict s
Parasitic worms (helminths) with complex life cycles divide growth and development between successive hosts. Using data from 597 species of acanthocephalans, cestodes, and nematodes with two-host life
Evolutionary stasis characterizes many phenotypes, even ones that seem suboptimal. Among tapeworms, Schistocephalus solidus and its relatives have some of the shortest developmental times in their fir
