Two similar-looking Australian bandicoots have very different worms in their guts—one has mostly two types of worms that almost all individuals carry, while the other has many more types of worms, with only two types in common.

10

Pro

0

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

10

Community contributions welcome

10

A review and comparison of the nematode assemblages of the Australian golden bandicoot, Isoodon auratus, the quenda, I. fusciventer and southern brown bandicoot, I. obesulus (Peramelidae), from material held in the south Australian museum

Cross-Sectional Study

Animal

2024 Aug

The study looked at worms in two types of bandicoots and found each species has its own unique set of worms, with only a couple in common—just like the claim said.

Contradicting (0)

0

Community contributions welcome

No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

A review and comparison of the nematode assemblages of the Australian golden bandicoot, Isoodon auratus, the quenda, I. fusciventer and southern brown bandicoot, I. obesulus (Peramelidae), from material held in the south Australian museum

Score: 10

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2024.100938

Similar Assertions

Two types of roundworms—Linstowinema and Labiobulura—are found in almost every bandicoot studied, making them the most common worms in this animal group, no matter which species it is.

10

0

85%

Even though only three golden bandicoots were checked, they had the same two types of worms found in other bandicoots, hinting that these worms are a common feature of all bandicoots, no matter where they live.

0

10

80%

The northern brown bandicoot has the most types of worms of all the bandicoots studied, and only one worm type is shared with the other two species, meaning they mostly have their own unique worms even if they live near each other.

10

0

80%

The bandicoot with the biggest territory has the most types of worms, the one with the smallest territory has the fewest, suggesting that how far a host animal travels might affect how many different worms it picks up.

10

0

77%