The Importance of Fossils in Understanding the Evolution of Parasites and Their Vectors
de Baets K, Littlewood DTJ (2015)
Publication Status: Published
Publication Type: Journal article, Original article
Publication year: 2015
Journal
Publisher: Academic Press Inc Ltd
Book Volume: 90
Pages Range: 1-51
DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2015.07.001
Abstract
Knowledge concerning the diversity of parasitism and its reach across our current understanding of the tree of life has benefitted considerably from novel molecular phylogenetic methods. However, the timing of events and the resolution of the nature of the intimate relationships between parasites and their hosts in deep time remain problematic. Despite its vagaries, the fossil record provides the only direct evidence of parasites and parasitism in the fossil record of extant and extinct lineages. Here, we demonstrate the potential of the fossil record and other lines of geological evidence to calibrate the origin and evolution of parasitism by combining different kinds of dating evidence with novel molecular clock methodologies. Other novel methods promise to provide additional evidence for the presence or the life habit of pathogens and their vectors, including the discovery and analysis of ancient DNA and other biomolecules, as well as computed tomographic methods.
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United Kingdom (GB)How to cite
APA:
de Baets, K., & Littlewood, D.T.J. (2015). The Importance of Fossils in Understanding the Evolution of Parasites and Their Vectors. Advances in Parasitology, 90, 1-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.apar.2015.07.001
MLA:
de Baets, Kenneth, and D. Timothy J. Littlewood. "The Importance of Fossils in Understanding the Evolution of Parasites and Their Vectors." Advances in Parasitology 90 (2015): 1-51.
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