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.

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

Andalusian Bodeguero dog or Andalusian mousetrap: features and photos

The Andalusian bulldog , originating from the province of Cadiz, formerly it was seen in the winery, hence its name, because it kept them free of rodent pests.Precisely for this same reason we know this dog breed as "Andalusian winemaker", "Andalusian mousetrapper" or "buzzard Andalusian winemaker ".Currently, he is a habitual companion of families, especially indicated for those with children, since he is very playful and sociable.If you want to know more about this wonderful and cheerful race, this article of Animals and Pets Online is made for you because you We explain everything about the Andalusian winemaker . Origin of the Andalusian winemaker dog Andalusian winemakers have strong roots throughout the southern part of the peninsula, but especially in the area of Jerez and the entire province of Cadiz in general.They used to work in the wineries., since they are expert rodent hunters , so they kept them free of these small animals that cou...

My lovebird has diarrhea - Causes and treatment

Lovebird has become one of the most frequently birds they find in our homes.Their color, their beauty, and that nickname of "inseparable" that we like so much, makes them as appreciated as the canaries were once. But the arrival of any bird, exotic or not , puts us in front of new situations that sometimes we are not accustomed to face.Animals and Pets Online will try to help distinguish pathological situations from those that are not, and to handle us in the event that our lovebird has diarrhea , In the following article we explain the possible causes that cause it . It is not always diarrhea, even if it seems We may notice that there are more liquid stools than usual in our lovebird on the floor of the cage and identify it as diarrhea, even if it is not. Evacuations Sewers in birds are made up of a greenish part (they can vary in color if they take feed, they are real feces), a white part (urates, mineral salts), and a liquid part (urine).Everything goes out...

Malt for cats - Different uses and how often to offer it

Cats are especially clean animals that spend hours grooming.lick ingest a lot of hair.If you live with a cat, you've sure seen it seen coughing and even vomiting hairballs. That's when some people turn to cat malt , a very useful product of natural origin that improves digestion and intestinal transit of our cat. Discover in Animals and Pets Online everything related to malt for cats, including the necessary doses, at what age It should be offered or information about vomiting.All the benefits of this product below: What is malt? Cat malt is a paste of color similar to honey and denser texture .It consists of vegetable oils and fats, malt extract, fiber, dairy products and yeast mainly.It also often contains dyes, preservatives and vitamins. There are numerous brands in the market with different formats.The most frequent is in the form of a tube of toothpaste.The composition varies slightly according to the brand but the basis is malt extract.Some cats show a prefe...

14 Animals with feathers - List with names and curiosities

What are the animals with feathers? When you think of feathers, what animals come to your head? You probably remember species such as duck, chicken, hummingbird or ruisenor.Now, do birds only have feathers? The answer to this is yes .Only birds have feathers, this is a feature that allows a species to be included in the group of birds. However, it has been shown that, in the past, some dinosaur species also developed feathers and from them the birds we know descend.Today there is still no definitive conclusion about what caused the change from scales to feathers (thinking about crocodiles, other prehistoric creatures), the different theories plan that it could be due to a process evolutionary to allow the flight of those species of dinosaurs that moved over the treetops and branches through jumps, while others point to thermal protection or attraction mechanisms during the mating season. Despite this, if there is evidence as they point to the dinosaurs belonging to the group ...

Dog breeds not recognized by the FCI

The FCI is the worldwide canine organization that approves pedigree dogs.There are several dog breeds not recognized by the FCI , even if they meet all the requirements to be considered "pure" breeds from the phylogenetic point of view. In this Animals and Pets Onlinet article We explain to you what these breeds are and why they are not recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale . Do not forget that the breed of the dog is not important unless you want to participate in morphology competitions canine.Read more: In many cases, breeds are not recognized by the FCI because they do not have a detailed written standard .In other cases because they do not meet the requirements established by the FCI.And in other cases, simply because no canine person or organization has bothered Evade the procedure so that these races are recognized by the FCI. It is also possible that political aspects outside the canine organizations have prevented the international diffu...

Mites in canaries - Symptoms and treatment

Knowing the enemy There is a wide variety of external parasites that can affect our canaries, but without a doubt, one of the most common are Losacaros.These omnipresent arachnids can be from a casual finding, to the person responsible for diseases more or less serious. The passerines (songbirds like canaries, diamonds...), and also the parakeets (psittaciforms), often suffer the undesirable presence of mites, and although certain types of injuries alert us to their existence, in other cases they can go unnoticed for long periods of time, due to the particular cycle of some species. To facilitate the task of recognizing the mites in the Canary Islands, we will divide them into three groups: Cnemidocoptes spp, elacaro responsible for cnemidocoptic mange. Dermanyssus spp, red mite. Sternostoma tracheacolum, mite of the trachea. Cnemidocoptes spp, responsible for cnemidocoptic scabies This is a type of mite in canaries that spends its entire life cycle in the bird (larv...

Kangaroo rat: characteristics

The Kangaroo rat belongs to the genus dipodomys , a group of small rodents from North America.They receive this name because of their miniature resemblance to Australian kangaroos: they have two hind legs of greater size that they use to move.There are currently 22 species of diplodomys or kangaroo rats spread over various areas, although the morphology is very similar in all cases, it only changes slightly. It is not a domestic animal due to its high displacement needs and its feral behavior that It does not allow to achieve a good relationship between the person who keeps him in captivity.Read reading this breed sheet of Animals and Pets Online to discover everything about the kangaroo rat . Habitat These small rodents are native to the lands of the United States, prefer a dry and sandy environment although we can also find them in rocky areas belonging to Central America.Their survival is really enviable since they remain in extreme environments with high temperatures...

How to scare stray cats? - 15 non-harmful remedies

The presence of stray cats In the home it is not always welcome, especially if they defecate, dig and break the decorative plants or the garden.In fact, it can be considered a risk situation if they are also wild cats, since they are not properly socialized and can be carriers of parasites and viral diseases, factors that can worry parents and animal owners. Therefore, although we consider ourselves animalistic, we can face a serious dilemma when we want to scare off street cats that appear in our garden or terrace.Is there a really effective repellent for cats? How to drive away cats without harming them? Is it possible to apply any method to drive away effective and lasting stray cats? Or worse: it may not even be street cats, but domestic cats that take advantage of your garden to do their needs.What should we do then? In this article of Animals and Pets Online we will explain How to drive away stray cats with basic and effective advice, we will propose some home remedie...

Teach your dog to bark to order

If you no longer know how to prevent your dog from barking, an alternative to controlling their barking consists of putting that behavior in order .The idea behind this strategy is to perfect the inappropriate behavior, so that it only happens when you give the order, however, that can only be achieved in very strict training conditions, rare in everyday life, and in some special cases, so it is unlikely that your dog will stop barking only thanks to this training strategy. However, if you will gain control of the barking because you can ask your dog to stop.Therefore, teaching your dog to bark to order can help you when your dog barks in response to a particular stimulus (for example when the bell rings), if he learned to bark to get things (for example or if it barks for you to give it food) and, in some cases, if it barks for a lot of enthusiasm.p> Get your dog to bark to order Since your dog is a barker, you already know some stimuli or some situations that cause thei...

Animals without central nervous system

What is the function of the nervous system? Any of us could answer this question by saying that the central nervous system serves us primarily to think, have ideas, awareness and we would not be wrong, but the nervous system goes further. The reason for its existence is to give animals the main characteristic that separates it from other groups of living beings, the locomotion .Animals are characterized among other things by our ability to move. Animals without central nervous system are not non-sentient animals , we must differentiate between perception of the environment and its possible threats and the presence or absence of a central nervous system. In this article of Animals and Pets Online we will talk about animals without central nervous system , starting with the definition of the system itself and the adaptations of animals that do not possess it. What is the central nervous system? The central nervous system is one of the two subdivisions of the nervou...

Animals and Pets Online

Search This Blog