A phylogenetic test of the Red Queen Hypothesis: outcrossing and parasitism in the Nematode phylum.

ABSTRACT: Sexual outcrossing is costly relative to selfing and asexuality, yet it is ubiquitous in nature, a paradox that has long puzzled evolutionary biologists. The Red Queen Hypothesis argues that outcrossing is maintained by antagonistic interactions between host and parasites. Most tests of this hypothesis focus on the maintenance of outcrossing in hosts. The Red Queen makes an additional prediction that parasitic taxa are more likely to be outcrossing than their free-living relatives. We test this prediction in the diverse Nematode phylum using phylogenetic comparative methods to evaluate trait correlations. In support of the Red Queen, we demonstrate a significant correlation between parasitism and outcrossing in this clade. We find that this correlation is driven by animal parasites, for wh

SUBMITTER: Gibson AK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5323264 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature