Reflecting the enormous advances made in the field over the past ten years, this text synthesizes the latest developments in the ecology and evolution of animal parasites against a backdrop of parallel advances in parasite systematics, biodiversity and life cycles. This second edition has been thoroughly revised to meet the needs of a new generation of parasitology students. Balancing traditional approaches in parasitology with modern studies in parasite ecology and evolution, the authors present basic ecological principles as a unifying framework to help students understand the complex phenomenon of parasitism. Richly illustrated with over 250 figures, the text is accompanied by case study boxes designed to help students appreciate the complexity and diversity of parasites and the scientists who study them. This unique approach, presented clearly and with a minimum of jargon and mathematical detail, encourages students from diverse backgrounds to think generally and conceptually about parasites and parasitism.
List of boxes; Foreword John C. Holmes; Preface and acknowledgements; 1. Introduction; 2. Immunological aspects of parasitism; 3. Protista: the unicellular eukaryotes; 4. Microsporida: the intracellular fungi; 5. Myxozoa: the spore-forming cnidarians; 6. Platyhelminthes: the flatworms; 7. Acanthocephala: the thorny-headed worms; 8. Nematoda: the roundworms; 9. Nematomorpha: the horsehair worms; 10. Pentastomida: the tongue worms; 11. Arthropoda: the joint-legged animals; 12. Parasite population ecology; 13. Parasite community ecology; 14. Parasite biogeography and phylogeography; 15. Effects of parasites on their hosts: from individuals to ecosystems; 16. Evolution of host-parasite interactions; 17. Environmental parasitology: parasites as bioindicators of ecosystem health; Glossary; Index.
