Symbiosis

Our goal for today is to answer these questions:

• What is symbiosis?

• What are the different kinds of symbiosis?

• What are some examples of symbiosis?

What is symbiosis?

the act of living together

Symbiosis

What it means:

•Two organisms that live together

•Temporarily or for a longer time

•At least one of the organisms benefits from the relationship

What are the different kinds of symbiosis?

Mutualism ParasitismCommensalism

both organisms benefit

one organism benefits

one organism benefits

one organism is unaffected

one organism is

harmed

Mutualism

Organism One Organism Two

Commensalism


Parasitism


Acacia Plant & AntsThe ants lay eggs on

acacia tree so they get a nice safe place for

their eggs. The acacia covers the infected

area with brown flesh (called a gall.) The

plant has to use valuable resources to

create the gall.

What symbiotic relationship is this?

parasitism

Anemone & Clown Fish

mutualism

This fish lives its entire adult life among the tentacles of a bulb-

tentacle sea anemone. Anemone fish do not get stung by the

anemone as would most other fish so they get protection from

predators. The fish often drop food scraps which the anemones

can eat.


Boxer Crab & Anemones

This Boxer Crab carries a pair of stinging anemones in its claws, which it uses

to defend itself from predators. The anemones get to move around which

increases their food supply.

mutualism


The remora attaches itself to the shark and saves energy since it doesn’t

have to swim, and it gets to snack on the sharks kills.

The shark doesn’t get anything.

Shark & Remora

commensalism


This tiny emperor shrimp is riding along on the back of a sea cucumber (a long worm-like starfish relative) while it crawls along a sandy bottom.

The shrimp gets to travel around under the protection of its much larger partner, and

the sea cucumber doesn't seem to mind.

Emperor Shrimp & Sea Cucumber

commensalism


Moray Eel & Cleaner Fish

This moray eel has a small fish cleaning between its teeth. The eel gets a clean mouth while the

cleaner fish gets a nice meal.


mutualism

Cattle & Cattle Egrets

As these cattle walk around eating grass they

stir up lots of insects. The egrets hang around

and get a yummy meal of insects.


commensalism

Antelope & Ox Bird

This ox bird hangs out on the antelope and gets a delicious meal of bugs living on the antelope. The antelope gets rid

of parasites.


mutualism

Loa Loa Worm & Human

This worm infects human the blood stream and gets a nice warm safe

home there. The human may go

blind or have other complications as a

result.


parasitism

Goby and Alpheid Shrimp


mutualism

This alpheid shrimp (onthe right) uses its strong claws like a bulldozer to create a burrow in the

sand. The shrimp is nearly blind. It relies upon its partner, the sharp-eyed

goby, to warn of danger. When a potential predator approaches, both animals disappear quickly into the

burrow

Wrasse & Batfish

Can you see the two cleaner wrasses are

removing parasites from a batfish? One of the

wrasses has entered the gill slit of the batfish, and

may even enter itsmouth in search of food. The batfish gets a bath and the wrasse gets a

meal.

What symbiotic relationship is this? mutualism

Hummingbird Moth & Flower

This hummingbird moth is drinking the nectar of a flower. The flower gets

pollinated (the moth brings pollen from other flowers) and the moth gets a tasty

meal.


mutualism

Let’s Review

1. What is symbiosis?2. What are the different kinds of symbiosis?3. Describe one example of each kind of

symbiotic relationship.

Answer each of following questions on a sheet of lined paper.

Symbiosis

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