Symbiotic Relationships

Barnacle/Whale

Barnacles create home sites by attaching themselves to whales. As the barnacle is a filter feeder, it also gets access to more water (and more food) due to the relationship. Whale is unaffected.

• Parasitic

• Commensalistic

• Mutualistic

Cuckoo/Warbler

A cuckoo lays its eggs in the nest of the warbler. The cuckoo’s eggs hatch first and the young kick the warbler eggs out of the nest. The warbler raises the cuckoo babies and the warbler babies aren’t hatched.

• Parasitic

• Commensalistic

• Mutualistic

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Remora/Shark

Remoras attach themselves to a shark’s body. They travel with the shark and feed on the leftover food scraps after the shark has finished its meal. The shark is unaffected as it’s done eating anyway.

• Parasitic

• Commensalistic

• Mutualistic

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

Ostrich/Gazelle

Ostriches and gazelles feed next to each other. They both watch for predators. Because the visual abilities of the two species are different, they can each identify threats that the other animal may not see as readily.

• Parasitic

• Commensalistic

• Mutualistic

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

Mistletoe/Spruce

Mistletoe extracts water and nutrients from the spruce tree to the detriment (ill effect) to the spruce.

• Parasitic

• Commensalistic

• Mutualistic

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Silverfish/Army Ant

Silverfish live and hunt with army ants and share the prey. They neither help nor harm the ants.

• Parasitic

• Commensalistic

• Mutualistic

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

Oxpecker/Rhinoceros

Oxpeckers (bird) feed on the ticks found on a rhinoceros. Both species benefit...the oxpecker gets food and the rhino gets rid of a parasite.

• Parasitic

• Commensalistic

• Mutualistic

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

Mouse/Flea

A flea feeds on a mouse’s blood to the mouse’s detriment.

• Parasitic

• Commensalistic

• Mutualistic

Honey Guide Bird/Badger

Honey guide birds alert and direct badgers to bee hives. The badgers then expose the hives and feed on the honey first. Next the honey guide birds eat. Both benefit

• Parasitic

• Commensalistic

• Mutualistic

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

Cowbird/Bison

As bison walk through grass, insects become active and are seen and eaten by cowbirds. This relationship neither harms nor benefits the bison.

• Parasitic

• Commensalistic

• Mutualistic