Commensalistic Symbiosis

March 24, 2000
From: Josh Williamsen

Dear Bill,

I am a first year natural resource technology student. I have been asked to write up a small section on any of the three types of symbiosis . I would like to know if you could give me one or two examples of commensalistic symbiosis (where one member of the partnership benefits and the other is indifferent).

thanks
josh

Lithium_79@hotmail.com

Williamsen, J., 2000 (Mar 24) Commensalistic Symbiosis. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2141

Dear Josh,
It is quite hard to put every animal-animal, plant-animal, plant-plant relationship into a system invented by humans. For one thing, each relationship is probably slightly different and for another there are probably examples which straddle some of the boundaries between different 'states'.

Have a look at the two examples at the top of the Symbiosis Page, which I think meet your criteria, and read some of the messages below. Also have a look at the Solar-powered Sea Slugs Page. I am not sure whether the relationship between single-celled plants and the nudibranchs fits your category or not. I don't think we know yet whether the zooxanthellae can survive as free-living plants.

Hope this of some help,
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2000 (Mar 24). Comment on Commensalistic Symbiosis by Josh Williamsen. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2141

Factsheet

Symbiosis, commensalism, mutualism and parasitism

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