Download Symbiosis

A symbiotic relationship is when two
organisms of different species live
together. There are 3 types of
symbiotic relationships:
•Mutualism
•Commensalism
•Parasitism
Mutualism is when both organisms
benefit from living together. Each
organism is better off because they
live with each other.
(Good for you, good for me)
An example of mutualism is the oxpecker
(a species of bird) and the rhinoceros or
zebra. Oxpeckers land on rhinos or zebras
and eat ticks and other parasites that live on
the skin. The oxpeckers get food and the
beasts get pest control. Also, when there is
danger, the oxpeckers fly upward and
scream a warning which tells the rhino or
zebra of danger.
Oxpecker and zebra
Another example of mutualism is when
a bee flies from flower to flower to gather
nectar. The bee uses the nectar to make
food. When the bee lands on the flower, it
gets some pollen on its hairy body and
carries the pollen to the next flower. This
is how many plants are pollinated.
The Brazil nut is an important source of
food for a large rat called the agouti. The
agouti bites open the tough outer shell and
eats the nut inside. Sometimes the agouti
buries some of the seeds for later use and
forgets where they are. This allows some
seeds to germinate and grow into new
plants. Without the gnawing of the agouti,
the Brazil nut would not be able to break
through the extremely hard shell and grow.
Brazil nuts (with the shell)
Brazil nuts (shelled)
Agouti
Commensalism is when one
organism gets helped and the other is
not helped or hurt.
(Good for me, doesn't bother you)
Sharks are messy eaters. They
bite their prey and sling their
head from side to side while
ripping off chunks of flesh. The
ramora swim near the shark often
attaching themselves to the shark
by a sucker. They eat the food
that falls from the shark’s
feeding.
At least 9 species of moths, mites,
and beetles live on sloths, eating the
algae on their fur. The bugs lay their
eggs on the dung (poop) of the sloths,
which provides food for the growing
larvae. This relationship does not
hurt or help the sloth.
Three-toed sloth
Army ants travel in large numbers and
eat any organism that gets in their way.
These vicious creatures have been known to
kill tarantulas, lizards, birds, snakes, pigs
and sometimes animals as large as horses.
Antbirds travel with army ants, eating the
small vertebrates and insects which are
flushed out by the advancing army. The ants
still get plenty to eat and the birds never eat
the army ants themselves.
Army ants and the Antbird
Parasitism is when one of the
organisms is helped and the other is hurt.
(Good for me, bad for you)
The leaf cutter ant parasitic fly lays its
eggs only on the backs of leaf-cutter ants
targeting porters who are carrying
leaves. The larvae burrow into the ant's
body after hatching and feed on it, killing it.
Leaf cutter ants
Very small workers will often ride on the
pieces of plant material as they are carried
back to the ant nest.
They protect the larger workers from a
parasitic fly that tries to lay its eggs on the
back of the ant's head while it is carrying leaf
fragments. The larger ant is unable to defend
itself because it will not put down its leaf.
Leaf cutter ant with food
and a smaller ant for
protection
Parasitic fly
Camouflage is used by
organisms to hide. The
organisms will blend in to their
surroundings. This helps prey
escape from predators.
Predation is the relationship
between the hunter and the
hunted.
Predator – the organism that
hunts for its food
Prey – the organism that is
hunted
Can you find the katydids
in the following pictures?
Look closely…can you
find the bug?
Can you find the
“walking sticks” in
this picture? Did
you find all of
them???
What animal is hiding here? Did you find the cryptic frog?
A leafy sea dragon, photographed off the coast of Australia.
Leafy sea dragons have developed flowing appendages and
vivid coloration that lets them blend in with the undersea
plant life in their environment.
Chamaeleo pardalis, a
chameleon species found
in the forests of
Madagascar. Chameleons
can produce a wide range
of colors and patterns on
their skin, but they do
this primarily to express
mood, not to blend in
with different
environments.
SHOWOFF!!!