Consecuencias teóricas del concepto de parasitismo intra-específico

Abstract

When parasitism is defined, it is customary to emphasize that it is about an inter-specific relation, i.e., between individuals of two different species. Here we critically examine that assumption and we turn to the concept of intra-specific parasitism. In the specialized literature, the concept of intra-specific parasitism is used for some deep-water fishes, some species of birds and some insects. Even though it seems innocuous as a concept, the acceptance of intra-specific parasitism has theoretical consequences that affect the way in which mammal evolution is considered. Another outcome is that intra-specific parasitism in birds is not necessarily limited to those cases of intra-specific brood parasitism, where a female lays her eggs in the nest of another female of the same species. On the contrary, every bird can be considered an intraspecific parasite of its female progenitor.