1. Sym- together Bio- life/living Osis- Condition of
Symbiosis
Sym- together
Bio- life/living
Osis- Condition of

2. What is Symbiosis?
When at least two organisms live together in a way that benefits at least one of the organisms
Can occur in all of the kingdoms
Can occur with organisms from different kingdoms
There are three types of symbiosis: mutualism, commensalism, parasitism

3. Why? Can provide benefits to both organisms
Allows organisms to survive in the same environmental niche
Helps an organism to avoid competition
Can prevent an organism from becoming “prey”

4. Commensalism
One organism is helped and the other organism is neither helped nor harmed

5. Certain species of crab carry venomous sea urchins on their backs
Gives the crab protection from predators

6. Man of War fish live among the poisonous tentacles of the Portuguese Man-of-War jellyfish
Gives the fish protection from predators

7. Here, the Anemone crab, a filter feeder, lives among the tentacles of a giant sea anemone.
Tucked safely among the tentacles, it can filter its food from the water.

8. Zebra crabs cling to a ”fire urchin.”
The venomous spines protect the crabs from predators.

9. The remora attaches itself to a shark with a suction cup and eats scraps from the shark’s meals
The shark is not harmed, but also does not benefit. Only the remora benefits.

10. Mutualism
When both organisms receive some benefit from the relationship

11. The African honeyguide bird and the honey badger (ratel)
The bird finds honey bee nests and makes a special call to attract the badger, who breaks open the hive so both can eat

12. Tick bird and rhinoceros; Ox-pecker and ox
The birds get food (ticks) and protection and the rhino and ox get parasites removed

13. The crocodile opens its mouth to let the Egyptian plover (a bird) pick leeches off of its gums
The crocodile is rid of a parasite and the plover gets a meal

14. Cleaner wrasses remove parasites from larger fish
They have been known to set up “cleaning stations” where fish can come to get cleaned
Wrasses get food and other fish get parasites removed

15. Bees travel from flower to flower to collect nectar
The flowers get pollinated and the bees get nectar to make honey

16. There is a protozoan in the gut of a termite that helps it to digest the cellulose in the wood
The protozoan gets its food delivered and has a place to live and the termite has help in digestion

17. Tube worms deep at the bottom of the ocean have bacteria that live inside them
The tube worms bring in the nutrients and chemicals and the bacteria convert them into food for the tube worm

18. Parasitism
One organism is helped and the other organism is harmed and possibly killed
A parasite can live on or in its “host” organism

19. A tapeworm attaches to the intestinal wall of its host and absorbs nutrients
This harms the host because its nutrients are being diverted to the parasite

20. Fleas bite and suck the blood of animals
Ticks can bite and hang on while they suck the blood of animals
Both can transmit disease

21. Leeches attach to their victims and inject an anti-coagulant to keep the blood from clotting
Leeches get a meal, and the organism loses blood and can get open wounds which can become infected.

22. Mimicry Some people consider mimicry a form of symbiosis
However, mimicry only involves one organism
The organism may imitate another living thing (or a non-living thing such as a rock or a stick), but it does not derive an actual benefit from what it is mimicking