Skip to main content

Commensalism - Definition, types and examples

Commensalism - Definition, types and examples

In nature there are symbiotic relationships between the different organisms to achieve an end.There are relationships where one of the parties obtains very negative results, as in cases of predation or parasitism.In other relationships, sometimes, not even everyone involved knows that they are part of a relationship.This is the case of commensalism.

In this article of Animals and Pets Online we will discover the definition of commensalism, we will see what types exist and some examples of commensalism.Keep reading!

What is commensalism?

Biological commensalism is defined as the relationship between two organisms of different species, where one of them benefits and the other does not get anything , neither positive nor negative.of the relationship for one of them is neutral.

Commensalism is a type of symbiosis that, unlike others, such as parasitism or predation, does not result in a negative ending for any of the parties involved On the other hand, the difference between mutualism and commensalism is that, in the first case, both individuals obtain benefits.

Commensalism in microbiology has also been widely studied., in a column of water, microorganisms that live closer to the surface usually benefit from sunlight, essential for their development.Their waste substances travel through the water column until they reach the bottom, where sunlight is scarce and oxygen.Here, anaerobic microorganism (who do not need oxygen to live) take as substances and energy sources the substances that arrive from the surface.

The microorganisms of the bottom benefit from the microorganisms of surfaces, while these do not obtain anything.highlight here the term amensalism .Contrary to commensalism, in these relationships one of the parties is harmed while the other remains immutable.It is the case of certain fungi such as Penicillium , which secrete antibiotics preventing the proliferation of bacteria.

Types of commensalism

When studying the relationships established between living beings, the great variety that exists forces us to subclassify commensalism into three different types, since there is no single way in which the animals of mutualism benefit:

  • Foresis : the term foresis refers to the relationship that is established between two species when one of them transports the other.In most cases, the transporter He is not even aware that he is transporting another living being.
  • Tenancy : Tenancy occurs when one species occupies the body of another to live, without causing any discomfort.
  • Metabiosis : This type of commensalism is very common in the animal kingdom.It occurs when a species feeds on the waste of another, such as its feces or the body itself in decomposition or the case of anaerobic microorganisms that we discussed before.

Examples of commensalism

There are many commensalist relationships in the animal kingdom.Many of these relationships occur between members of this kingdom with organisms from the plant kingdom.Some of these examples are:

1.Comensalism between opiliones and ants

In certain areas of Argentina, where this relationship has been discovered, the climate is very dry, which makes the presence of opiliones impossible, social animals belonging to the order of the arachnids.The ant hills offer a more humid microclimate that favors the opiliones.These live inside the anthill without causing the ants benefits or harms.

2.Comensalismo between the giant lizard of the island of El Hierro ( Gallotia simonyi ) and the yellow-headed gull ( Larus michahellis )

Non-volatile chickens of this species of gull regurgitates part of the food when they feel very full or are bothered by other adult seagulls.Then, the giant lizard will benefits feeding on the regurgitated insects by the seagull chicken.

3.Comensalism between vulgar finches ( Fringilla coelebs ) and black starlings ( Sturnus unicolor )

Starlings, in Leon, to the northwest of Spain, they feed on blackberries in summer.When they eat they drop seeds on the ground or on the leaves of the mulberry.Finches, granivorous animals, search between the leaves and the ground, the discarded seeds for starlings , taking them even directly from the feces of starlings.

4.Canalism among flies and ham mites

This is a very curious example of foresis.Ham dryers sometimes have problems with losacaros, that bite the ham and invalidate it for sale.The hams are hung on the ceiling so the invasion poracaros would seem complicated.These animals are mounted on the flies that they visit the hams.When they arrive at a ham, the mites get off the fly.The flies do not get anything, they do not even realize that they are transporting mites.

5.Comensalism between birds Yarns

Birds that nest in trees get this protection n and a place to build your nest.Trees don't get anything, neither positive nor negative.

Commensalism - Definition, types and examples

If you want to read more articles similar to Commensalism-Definition, types and examples , we recommend that you enter our Curiosities section of the animal world.

Bibliography

  • GMFH Editing Team.(2015).Women's (bacterium).Gut microbiota for health.
  • Hernandez, A.(2000).Women's feminism between vulgar finches Fringilla coelebs and starlings Blacks Sturnus unicolor in the consumption of blackberries Morus nigra-.Ardeola, 47 (1), 89-92.
  • Maury, EA,&Pilati, A.(1996).Riosegundo birabeni (Canals) , 1943) (Opiliones, Gonyleptidae) in anteaters of Acromyrmex lobicornis (Emery, 1887) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae).Review of the Argentine Museum of Natural Sciences, 142, 1-7.
  • Siverio, F.,&Felipe, P.(2009).Women's feminism between lizard gig ante de El Hierro (Gallotia simonyi) and yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) in the roque Chico de Salmor.Parasitology, 84, 454-456.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

How to know what size a mongrel dog will be?

When we talk about a mixed breed dog or mixed breed dog , generally we refer to a dog whose ancestry is unknown and that has typical characteristics of two or more breeds.This is usually the result of a non-selective breeding, but generally fortunate, since a mongrel dog can be exactly as good companion as a dog of a certain breed. Due to numerous factors, although here it is worth highlighting the great genetic variability, there are many advantages of having a mongrel dog and it is important to emphasize this point since unfortunately it is usually grant a lower value to a dog of these characteristics.If you are thinking of adopting a mixed breed dog, you are surely gathering all the necessary information, if you are wondering how to know what size a mongrel dog will be I didn't leave It is to read this article of Animals and Pets Online. Is it possible to know the size of a mongrel dog? Of course, estimating the exact size of a mongrel dog is not an easy task, although ...

How to remove the dog smell from my house

Image: pixabay.com The body odor of dogs is much more intense than that of other companion animals, such as cats, and it is not surprising that our home is impregnated with that smell, despite maintaining its hygiene properly In addition, there are races of cans that tend to give off a stronger odor than others, the Poodle and the Dachshunds, for example, are races that are not used to smell bad .In general, we usually immunize ourselves to the point of not noticing that our home smells like a dog, but visits do not, so that you can easily get rid of it, in this article of a How we want to teach you how to remove the smell of dog from your house with some Simple homemade tricks. Steps to follow: 1 The first thing you should do is look at the intensity of the smell , if your dog smells stronger than normal you should take it to the veterinarian since, in many cases, the bad smell is usually a symptom of Virico diseases.Other times the cause is usually the physiognomy of yo...

Tricks to shine my dog's hair

There are several homemade tricks to keep your dog's hair shiny and healthy.The simplest and most economical is to brush it gently on a daily basis (5 minutes are enough) although you can use many other techniques to make it look perfect either winter or summer. There are many tricks that have been used since ancient times They have been used to enhance the beauty of hair, both humans and animals, although more time is required to elaborate and apply them than usual brushing.In this article of Animals and Pets Online we will explain the most common or easy to apply so that the Your dog's hair is bright. In addition, you should keep in mind that factors such as feeding directly affect the quality and brightness of the dog's hair.Read reading to know tricks to brighten the my dog's hair . Beer The application of non-alcoholic beer to the dog's hair at the end of the bath, is proven to improve its brightness because it nourishes the hair bulb and softens th...

Flea bite allergy in dogs

In this Animals and Pets Online article we discuss a common problem: the allergy to flea bites in dogs .We say usual because fleas are parasites of wide worldwide distribution that, due to the conditions provided in our homes, can survive throughout the year, being able to bite dogs, cats, any other warm-blooded animal and even humans. Not all dogs develop allergies, but it is worth knowing this pathology because it is very common and the symptoms are very annoying, so read on to find out how to know if your dog is allergic to flea bites . Flea life cycle Fleas are parasitic insects observable to the naked eye.They have a flattened body to move better between the fur and are characterized by their high-altitude jumps.The adults get on the dog and bite to extract her blood , from which they feed.The female deposits eggs in the environment, between carpets or slits.These develop in several phases until they become adults and get on another animal, restarting the cycle.their way...

Green anaconda care

First of all we should emphasize that adopting a green anaconda will be a huge responsibility only within reach (if the adopter is sensible), of experts who have previously adopted other minor snakes, so that they already have a solid idea of ​​the minimum care that should be taken in a terrarium for reptiles. One factor to consider is the sex of the anaconda, since females are much larger and heavier than males.Obviously males will be much more manageable than females, since they rarely exceed 3.5 meters, however, females can exceed more than 6 meters during their 30 years of captive life and exceed 200 kg of weight. Therefore you must build and modify the terrarium of your green anaconda based on its growth.If you continue reading e This post from Animals and Pets Online, we will explain the basic conditions for the care of the green anaconda . Terrarium size and needs The size of the terrarium will be based on the measure of the green anaconda.It will not be the same to...

Papillon dog: features

In this Animals and Pets Online breed sheet we will talk about the papillon dog , also known as dwarf spaniel or butterfly dog, for its literal translation into French.It is one of the most elegant dogs in the world and comes from France and Belgium. Here are some details fundamental aspects that you should know if you are considering adopting one: the characteristics of the breed, how its training works or its possible relationship with children.But before, a little history: The papillon dog is It became really popular when Tiziano Vicelli painted them in the 16th century , as a result many other renowned painters began to include the papillon dog in their works such as Watteau or Fragonard.It was then when the dogs Papillon breed were considered as royalty dogs since in all to Europe the most important kings included them in their family paintings. The papillon created a trend .It is even said that Marie Antoinette had a papillon.This pretty and soft water dog changed her phy...

Animals with exoskeleton - Names and examples

The body of the largest vertebrate animals is not a mystery to most of people: it is known that it has a skeleton, internal vital organs (heart, brain, etc.), a dermis of variable and organ characteristics through which the five senses are manifested, among other characteristics. However, have you wondered what the invertebrate morphology is like? Then you need to know all about the animals with exoskeleton, names and examples. Don't miss this Animals and Pets Online article! What is the exoskeleton? The exoskeleton is an external structure that covers the body of various animals, including arthropods.It is characterized by being resistant but flexible .This structure It consists of different substances depending on the subfile to which the animal belongs: chitin for insects and fungi, calcium in mollusks and corals or silica in diatoms among other components. In turn, the exoskeleton is formed by three structures : Cuticle : non-cellular layer secreted by the hyp...

Because you fazem cats so much barulho quando cruzam

Everybody or world that widows do crossing cats knows how gracious they are fazem.It's true that you have come to the logo when cats are not involved, because they emit characteristic features to take care of two males .You responds also commended and assim starts court. Mase during a copula that you are shouting more obvious and scandalous.Muitas pessoas wondered because you cats fazem so much barulho quando cruzam ? Or PeritoAnimal criou this article to answer precisely that question. How do cats reproduce? As femeas atingem to sexual maturity between 5 and 9 months of going.Os males atingem um pouco more late, between 9 and 12 months. It is quite evident when As cats, there are no pois, for German two characteristic myriads, these are very many other aspects of how it is to roll, raise, etc. As cats temper a seasoned polyester reproductive cycle, in conditions normais.Ou seja, they will be reproduced most in some times of the year, once or a number of hours of lump u...

Types of herbivorous reptiles

There are many reptile fans who would like to start adopting and possess some very easy to maintain .However, most of the usual reptiles in pet stores have a common factor that puts these first time fans behind: almost all reptiles for adoption are insectivorous. This displeases these fans for various reasons.One very important thing is that insects cause them to repeat.Another factor to keep in mind is that incessant trips to the store must be made to provide themselves with live food, which often escapes and colonize the house.Crickets escaped inside a home can plunge their inhabitants into an insomniac despair.It is also not pleasant for many people to make a colony of crickets at home. If you are any of these fans, continues reading this p ost as Animals and Pets Online will tell you the different types of herbivorous reptiles. Land turtles Without a doubt, the most frequent herbivorous pet reptiles are the land turtles .In addition, they are also the easiest to maintain ...

Anaplasmosis in dogs - SYMPTOMS and TREATMENT

Ticks that can parasitize dogs are sometimes found, in turn , parasitized by pathogens such as bacteria that, if they enter the dog's organism, are capable of causing various diseases.This is the case of the anaplasmosis in dogs , a pathology that we will talk about in this article of Animals and Pets Online.We will see what symptoms can cause and how this problem can be treated not too well known, although worldwide distribution. Read on to discover everything about Anaplasma phagocytophilum in dogs and the Anaplasma platys , which are the most common in these animals. What is canine anaplasmosis? Anaplasmosis in dogs is caused by bacteria of the genus Anaplasma that infect animals through what is called a vector, in this case, a tick containing anaplasmas.they feed on blood, for which they must catch the animal.In that exchange is when contagion can occur and for this it must last a minimum of 18-24 hours. The anaplasmas are intracellular parasites obliged, thi...