Question

Do you believe that an ideal parasite should be able to thrive within the host without harming it?

Answer 1

Parasites are the organisms that derive their nutrition from other living organisms by harming them.

Parasites have

• lost many structures like the digestive system (tapeworm),
• lost chlorophyll and leaves (Cuscuta),
• evolved structures (like hooks and suckers) that can help them to derive nutrition from their host.
• Some parasites have co-evolved with their hosts.

Death of the host would be the death of the parasite. Therefore an ideal parasite should be able to harm the host but should not kill it.