“…There are currently nine known transmissible cancer lineages (one in dogs, two in Tasmanian devil populations, and six in marine bivalves; Dujon, Bramwell, et al, 2020 ; Dujon, Gatenby, et al, 2020 ), some of which threaten the survival of animal populations (and species) and are detrimental to ecosystem stability (see, for instance, Hamede et al, 2020 ). Indubitably, this number is a gross underestimate due to poor monitoring of cancer in wildlife (Dujon, Bramwell, et al, 2020 ; Dujon, Gatenby, et al, 2020 ; Dujon, Ujvari, et al, 2020 ; Ujvari et al, 2016 ). The conditions for the emergence of transmissible cancers, while poorly understood, require a perfect storm of sequential steps that is reminiscent of a parasitic lifestyle.…”