Abstract
Highlight-Lessons on Parasitism from the Curious Dicyemida.
Highlights
Dicyemida are microscopic organisms consisting of only 30 cells each (Fig. 1)
The same group of researchers has extended their analysis of this lineage by sequencing the complete genome of Dicyema japonicum
The results are published in this issue of Genome Biology and Evolution in the article, “Dicyemid mesozoans: a unique parasitic lifestyle and a reduced genome” (Lu et al 2019), providing further insight into this odd organism and revealing convergent patterns that are shared among parasites in general
Summary
Dicyemida are microscopic organisms consisting of only 30 cells each (Fig. 1). They are parasites that live inside the renal sacs of cephalopods like the squid and octopus, deriving nutrients from the host’s urine. Despite a relatively complex lifecycle, dicyemids lack differentiated tissues such as a digestive tract and circulatory system and represent one of the most extreme cases of body plan reduction among animals.
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