Niche restriction and mate finding in vertebrate hosts.

Abstract

Evidence for parasite niche restriction at the level of hosts (host range and host specificity), populations (aggregation) and host individuals (microhabitat specificity) is reviewed. Mating behaviour (male mating in particular), the morphological basis of mating (using light- and electron-microscopic studies), evidence for the role of nice restriction in facilitating mating, and the relative importance of niche segregation and differences in copulatory organs for reinforcing reproductive barriers are discussed.