by Stuart Blackman
RESEARCH	Spite: Evolution Finally Gets Nasty Altruism's "neglected ugly sister" comes to the party Email: Stuart Blackman - sblackman@the-scientist.com The Scientist 2004, 18(24):14 Published   20 December 2004

The body of a caterpillar is the site of both a great feast and a gruesome familial struggle. But unlike even the most dys-functional holiday dinners, this fight for food erupts into bloodbath, with sisters killing sisters and brothers alike. The slaughter, as damaging to killer as to killed, exemplifies an ugly facet of evolution – the role of spite.

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