sexual parasitism

Sexual parasitism is a specialized form of reproduction, most commonly observed in deep-sea anglerfish. In these species, males are significantly smaller than females and attach themselves to the female, often fusing their tissues and circulatory systems. The male then becomes entirely dependent on the female for nourishment, functioning as a sperm-producing organ. This phenomenon is a type of parasitism where one organism benefits at the expense of another. Other examples include certain mollies where males provide genetic material, but the offspring are clones of the mother, and the male DNA is not passed on. This differs from parasitoidism, where the parasite always kills the host.123