Decoding worm lingo: Eradicating parasites that speak same language
Friday, April 13, 2012 - 13:20
in Biology & Nature
All animals seem to have ways of exchanging information -- monkeys vocalize complex messages, ants create scent trails to food, and fireflies light up their bellies to attract mates. Yet, despite the fact that nematodes, or roundworms, are among the most abundant animals on the planet, little is known about the way they network. Now, biologists have shown that a wide range of nematodes communicate using a recently discovered class of chemical cues.