Roundworms of the Nematoda comprise one of the largest animal phyla on Earth (1). They inhabit diverse terrestrial and aquatic niches through adaptations of a spectrum of trophic groups, including parasites that threaten human, animal and crop plant health. The most well-known nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, is a native soil-dwelling microbivore that has emerged as a premier model for animal ...

1. Testosterone (T) co-ordinates the seasonal and sex-specific expression of numerous physiological, behavioural and morphological traits that contribute to male reproductive success. However, increased susceptibility to parasitism has been proposed as a potential cost of elevated plasma T. 2. During the spring breeding season, male striped plateau lizards Sceloporus virgatus harbour significan...

Generalist parasites exploit multiple host species at the population level, but the individual parasite's strategy may be either itself a generalist or a specialist pattern of host species use. Here, we studied the relationship between host availability and host use in the individual parasitism patterns of the Shiny Cowbird Molothrus bonariensis, a generalist avian obligate brood parasite that ...

Variation in avian reproductive strategies is often studied from a comparative perspective, since even closely-related taxa differ greatly the degree of polygyny, extra-pair paternity (EPP) or intra-specific brood-parasitism. However, substantial variation at species level suggests that ecological factors are important shaping these patterns. In this study, we examined temporal plasticity strat...

To improve biological control of Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois) (Hemiptera: Miridae), the European parasitoid Peristenus digoneutis Loan (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) was introduced into the US in the 1980's and has become established in forage alfalfa, strawberries and apples. The objective of this study was to determine how four different insecticide management regimes affected parasitism...