Consecuencias teóricas del concepto de parasitismo intra-específico

Resumen

Theoretical consequences of the concept ‘intra-specific parasitism’

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.

Key Words. Intra-specific parasitism; brood parasitism; parasitic birds; mammal evolution; parental care.