Change host color

Over the past 12 years, biologists from the University of Liverpool (UK) have studied a strange round worm that can discolor its host parasite into red to alert the enemy.

Over the past 12 years, biologists from the University of Liverpool (UK) have studied a strange round worm that can discolor its host parasite into red to alert the enemy.

Picture 1 of Change host color

The worm often infects caterpillar larvae underground and releases a bacterium on the larvae. This bacterium will quickly group and then control, liquefy the tissues inside the larvae, form nutrients for worms and help them proliferate into many generations in the host's body.

In particular, this worm will cause the larvae to become infected and gradually change to red. This strategy helps to warn, threaten predators such as birds, animals . to keep them away from these caterpillar larvae, helping them to have optimal survival. According to scientists, this is the first time humans have discovered that parasites can change the color of hosts.

Update 17 December 2018
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