Briefly, I'd suggest that no existing phylum lacks parasitic
representatives; I wrote a related theoretical article in 1983. Intimate
multi-species interactions seem to be a fundamental characteristic of life.
Perhaps this necessity and other factors generate opportunities for
lackeys and bad apples to become successful parasites or pathogens.
Jerry
At 05:12 PM 9/10/98 -0700, Marc Weber wrote:
>Dr. Pappas,
>Thanks for responding... I had one more question...
> Of the existing phyla, are there any organisms that dont have any (
zero )
>parasitic representatives?
>>Thanks in advance,
>Sami.
>>Dr. Peter W. Pappas wrote:
>>> An answer to this question depends on how you define "parasite" and "major
>> phylum." Moreover, since taxonomists have not yet identified all the
>> animals in any phylum, it is impossible to answer this question.
>>>> Compaq2 wrote in message <35F71590.2D626885 at hotmail.com>...
>> >Hi everyone,
>> > What major phylum has no parasitic representatives?
>> >Thanks in advance.
>> >
>> >Sami.
>> >
>>>>>Gerald McLaughlin, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Dept Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
635 Barnhill Drive, MS A128
Indianapolis, IN 46202-5120
317-274-2651; FAX 317-278-2018
E-mail: gmclaugh at iupui.edu
