首先,寄生生物操縱寄主時可能會需要分泌一些化學分子,而分泌這些物質的同時會消耗大量的能量;其二為,當寄生生物從居住在自然環境中的可獨立生存的生物(free-living organisms)演化成絕對寄生生物(obligate parasites)後,在高度的選汰壓力下,因為寄主體內相對自然生態系安全且單調許多,許多病毒和細菌的基因體大小會傾向縮減,以降低能量消耗,如果寄生生物的 DNA 需要帶有分泌和行為操縱相關化學分子的基因片段,整體而言較不利於競爭;其三為,寄主行為的改變可能有利於更多種寄生生物生存,進而增加不同族群間的寄生生物競爭相同寄主,可能輾轉降低寄生生物本身的存活率。
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