CeNT Seminar (05.12.2025): Why should we care about extinct parasites! Insights from fossil evidence and modeling
01 12 2025
Category: CeNT news, CeNT seminars, Main page
The Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw invites to a seminar by:
prof. Kenneth de Baets,
Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw
Title: Why should we care about extinct parasites! Insights from fossil evidence and modeling
Date: Fri Dec 5th, 2025
Time: 12:00 (Central European Time)
Host: prof. Bartosz Trzaskowski
The seminar will be held in the 00.142 auditorium
Abstract:
Parasitism is one of the most prevalent lifestyles. Despite the vast diversity and importance of parasites today, their evolutionary history, particularly extinction events, remains poorly constrained. This has been largely attributed to their poor fossil record, which limits our understanding of how extinction and host radiations influence parasite evolution. Recent data underline that the fossil record of parasitism is patchy but more diverse than commonly assumed. Recent analyses of parasites with preservable structures or characteristic pathologies show an amplification of parasitism with biodiversity and dilution with extinction. Analyses also provide evidence for obvious host switches or extinctions, which caution against models of strict co-divergence. The reliance on host calibrations to constrain divergence time therefore needs to be approached with caution. Novel cophylogenetic approaches and historical data can enhance predictions of how host shifts and planetary health impact parasite diversity, especially when extinct species can be meaningfully incorporated. Moreover, a comprehensive understanding of historical transitions can serve as a foundation for predicting future shifts in their diversity and distribution.