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Sat, 15 Nov 1997 16:25:09 +0000

Everywhere in Nature the small, weak and apparently helpless manage to survive by parasitism — sponging off hosts who may in their turn protect and help these hangers-on. Worms, ticks, fleas and various kinds of bacteria are common examples. But there are more spectacular cases among fish and other sea creatures.

On riverbeds, a species of fresh water clam tosses her young at passing fish to attach themselves with hooks. The host carries them about, nourishing them until they are adult enough to let go, settle as the bottom, and start another lifecycle. This form of parasitism disperses the clams more widely.

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