Symbiotic Relationships

Barnacles create home sites by attaching themselves to whales. This neither harms nor benefits the whales.

• commensalism
• parasitism
• mutualism

Mistletoe extracts water and nutrients from the spruce tree to the tree's detriment.

• commensalism
• parasitisim
• mutualism

Yucca flowers are pollinated by yucca moths. The moths lay their eggs in the flowers where the larvae hatch and eat some of the developing seeds. Both species benefit.

• commensalism
• parasitism
• mutualism

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

Hermit crabs live in shells made and then abandoned by snails. This neither harms nor benefits the snails.

• commensalism
• parasitism
• mutualism

Oxpeckers feed on the ticks found on rhinoceros. Both species benefit.

• commensalism
• parasitism
• mutualism

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

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

• commensalism
• parasitism
• mutualism

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

• commensalism
• parasitism
• mutualism

Ticks feed on deer blood to the deer's detriment.

• commensalism
• parasitism
• mutualism

Wrasse fish feed on the parasites found on the black sea bass's body. Both species benefit.

• commensalism
• parasitism
• mutualism

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

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

• mutualism
• commensalism
• parasitism

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2