Publication details
A model to explain the origin of a parasite sex-specific population structure.
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2004 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Theoretical population biology |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Zoology |
| Keywords | Schistosoma mansoni; Population structure; Sex ratio; Sex dispersal |
| Description | A discrete time model was built to understand the origin of the sex-specific population structure of the human blood fluke, Schistosoma mansoni. We have estimated both male/female individual ratio and male/female genotype ratio of this parasite taking into account all the experimental published values on differential male and female life-history traits all along the life cycle. We considered in our model male and female life-history traits when both separated and together. The model showed that both male/ female individual ratio and male/female genotype ratio of S. mansoni adultsare biased toward males in each combination. Thisbias wasmore important in male/female genotype ratio than in the male/female individual ratio for the same initial valuesof cercarial development success. This model could explain the sex specific population structure of this parasite. Firstly, we showed that the male-biased individual ratio finds its origin in the vertebrate host. Secondly, we showed that the male-biased genotype ratio originates prior to any interrelationship between adult worms and could generate by itself a sex-specific genetic structure. |