Transcript
There are some parasites that have the ability to control their hosts.
This is basic knowledge among most biologists but not much is known as to how the parasites do it.
The following is a list of several such parasites.
Dicrocoelium
Once the larvae of this parasite migrate to the ant's esophagus, they alter the behavior of the ant. When the temperature drops in the evening, during peak grazing hours, the infected ant climbs to the top of a plant and clamps onto a leaf using its mandible with the intention of being eaten.
Galactosomum
The larvae of this parasite make their home inside the brain of a fish such as the yellowtail and the parrot bass. Once infected, the fish makes its way up to the water's surface, where it will swim until eaten by seabirds.
Leucochloridium
This parasite's sporocysts develop in the snail's eye stalks, where they pulsate like worms. They alter the snail's behavior and force it to move to the top of a plant to make it more visible to birds. Once eaten by a bird, the parasite will complete its metamorphosis into an adult.
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