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What is a parasite?
A parasite is an organism that lives in or on another organism (their host organism) and benefits by taking nutrients at the host's expense.
Parasites manipulate their host through controlling what body system?
Parasites manipulate their host through controlling the nervous system
Can zombie parasites infect humans?
They can, although zombie parasites never intentionally infect humans.
Do zombie parasites actually turn their hosts into zombies?
Their hosts don’t actually turn into zombies.
When zombie parasites infect their host do they turn into a zombie?
Their hosts don’t actually turn into zombies, but instead act mindless like a zombie as they’re being controlled by the zombie parasites.
Controlling and regulating population sizes, fuel food webs, influence evolution, or help maintain ecosystem balance.
Name one kind of zombie parasite.
Zombie Ant Fungus, Zombie Ant Fluke, Zombie Spider Wasp, or Hairworms.
How do parasites benift?
They benefit by taking nutrients at the host's expense
How many species of zombie parasites exist?
There are more than 600 different species of Zombie Parasites out there.
What is the worst thing that can happen to a human host of a zombie parasite?
The worst effect on humans is invasion of the brain which can lead to seizures or death.
Are parasites able to reproduce without the host’s death?
This really depends on the type of zombie parasite that is infecting the host.
Do zombie parasites die after reproduction inside their final host?
Sometimes they live, or they get killed along with their host (sometimes before reproduction), some zombie parasites even continue to reproduce and survive in their host for long periods of time (months or years), and some zombie parasites die after releasing their spores or eggs.
How would a ecosystem be effected if you removed all zombie parasites?
Without zombie parasites, ecosystems would be less diverse, less stable, and less efficient.
What is an intermediate host?
An intermediate host is an organism that temporarily hosts a parasite during its asexual stages of development, allowing it to grow and develop, but the zombie parasite never reproduces here. The zombie parasites mainly “mind-control” these hosts. This is specifically to allow them to get to their final host.
What do zombie parasites manipulate in the host?
Zombie parasites manipulate the host's behavior, and once they reach their goal, they go on to the next host and continue the cycle.
What are four things zombie parasites can infect?
Insects, humans, arthropods, birds, rodents, livestock, and, reptiles.
What is a final host?
A final host is the organism in which the parasite finishes maturing and reproduces sexually. This is usually a predator.
What are the two types of hosts?
Final host and the intermediate host.
Which type of host is more likely to be manipulated?
Intermediate hosts are usually the ones being manipulated, and the final hosts will rarely be manipulated by the parasites.
What is the most prominent way a host of a zombie parasite might die?
When the host dies, this is usually because they get eaten and the parasite needs to move on to their next host.
What is the life cycle of a zombie parasite?
Entry into first host, Growing stages, Manipulation, then Final host.
What is the cycle zombie parasites go through? (in detail)
These zombie parasites start with infecting their host, they then hijack the host’s nervous system to manipulate their behavior, and finally once they reach their goal, they go on to the next host and continue the cycle.
How long can zombie parasites reproduce and survive in their host?
Some zombie parasites can continue to reproduce and survive in their host for months or years.
What are four ways zombie parasites effect humans?
Some of their effects on humans include: mental health effects, the harming of a baby (in pregnant women), the invasion the brain (which can cause seizures or even death), and of course they inflict social fears among our population.
Are zombie parasites asexual?
Zombie parasites are both asexual and sexual, it just occurs at different times during the cycle.