In the fire ants board, sorry i don’t know how to link, this was said:
"The microsporidian disease Thelohania solenopsae is an obligate intracellular pathogen of fire ants. Preliminary field studies on populations of the black imported fire ant, S. richteri, carried out in Argentina indicated that decreasing densities of fire ants were associated with increasing presence of this pathogen. These data suggest that this pathogen may be an important factor in reducing fire ant numbers by weakening the colonies. "
so if this is an ant pathogen, is it likely that it would not cause disease in another species in the are, but still be carried by that species? y’know, like an intraspecial typhoid mary. this seems like it would confer a definite advantage to said species.
my question is, does this indeed happen (not just for ants)? that’s pretty bitching if it does- think about it people! natural selection of the symbiosis not only selecting for resistance and infectibiliy, but also behaviors etc. what if the neanderthal became extinct for just that reason? cro-magnon general amhersts, or even more fascinating whole rituals and behaviors arising so that none of the indivual members know what they are doing?
ooh boy, i’d better go