Do you know any examples of commensalism? Here you can learn them. During your schooling, in Biology, you might have learned about commensalism. And in daily life, we see multiple examples of commensalism. It is a very common and natural process found in only living beings. Commensalism is nothing but a type of relationship between organisms in which one organism benefits from another one without causing any harm to it. The one who benefits is called commensal while the one who provides the benefit is called the host. Below, we will learn it in detail. Now, let’s come to our examples of commensalism.  

What Is The Commensalism? 

Commensalism is a type of symbiosis, which refers to any long-term interaction that two living beings had with each other. For example, hyenas and lions fight each other and are never seen again, but since their interactions aren’t long-term, they can’t live together. However, lions and hyenas, who make regular contact and compete for food, have a symbiotic relationship because the interaction continues.

In this type of symbiosis, one organism benefits from the relationship and the other is night benefited or harmed, so you can say, the effect of this type of relationship is neutral. The  term commensalism was formed in 1876 by Pierre-Joseph Van Beneden, a Belgian Zoologist. 

Let’s have a look at some examples of commensalism in your backyard and also the examples of commensalism in the ocean, and also in other fields. 

What Are The Examples Of Commensalism?  

Here are some commonly found examples of commensalism, 

1. Remora and Large Marine Animals 
2. Lesser Burdock and Black Bears 
3. Poison Dart and Leafy Plants  
4. The Cactus Wren And The Cactus 
5. A Bird making A Nest In A Tree 
6. Aspergillus and Humans 

Examples Of Commensalism  

Let’s understand all the examples of commensalism relationships in nature, humans, rainforests, deserts, etc.

1. Remora and Large Marine Animals 

One of the commonly found examples of commensalism in marine ecosystems is the remora and large marine animals. Remora is a small fish that have a sucker-like disk on their heads that allows them to attack other animals that are bigger in size. Remora use their sucker to attach to turtles, sharks, whales, or other large marine animals. But, why do they do this? Remora benefits by getting to travel to new food and breeding areas without expending energy for travel and while being protected by the larger animals.

2. Lesser Burdock and Black Bears 

The examples of commensalism in the forest are many, but the important example is of Lesser Burdock and Black Bears. The scientific name of Lesser Burdock is Arctium Minus. This plant has prickly heads called “Burrs” that easily catch onto animal fur. The animals saw a black bear brush against the plant and carry the burr on its fur until sometime later when the burr fell off. The burdock benefits from the seed dispersal, and the black bear neither benefits nor is harmed by the burr.

3. Poison Dart and Leafy Plants 

One of the common examples of commensalism in rainforests is the poison dart and leafy plants. Poison Dart is a group of frags in the family called Dendrobatidae. They inhabit tropical habitats in Central and South America. Poison Dart frogs will often move to the undersides of large plant leaves or under the leaves themselves as protection from the predators. They benefit by having a place to hide, while the large plants remain unaffected by the frogs using them as a temporary shelter.

4. The Cactus Wren And The Cactus 

One of the best examples of commensalism in the desert is the Cactus Wren and the Cactus. The cactus wren benefits from the cactus by building its nest around the cactus, protecting its young. The cactus is not affected or damaged by the cactus wren, though.

5. A Bird making A Nest In A Tree 

The examples of mutualism commensalism and parasitism are also the same as commensalism. You might have seen a nest on a tree. This is a common example of commensalism, in which a bird who is going to make a nest on a plant gets protection and shelter from the tree. On the other hand, a tree does not get harmed or damaged. So, this is a commensalism relationship.

6. Aspergillus and Humans 

The examples of commensalism with humans will shock you. Aspergillus is a genus of fungi, which is capable of living in extreme environments, one of which includes the upper gastrointestinal tract of humans. For most people, Aspergillus produces no symptoms whatsoever, but the fungus benefits from the living environment and nutrients its host human provides.

Now, you know the symbiosis examples in different areas like commensalism examples in the ocean and also the commensalism definition and example.

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FAQ

What Is Commensalism Give 1 Example?

Commensalism is when two species interact and one benefits, but the other organism is neither harmed nor benefited. Examples of commensalism are barnacles that grow on whales

What Are The 4 Types Of Commensalism?

There are four types of commensalism: chemical commensalism, phoresy, metabiosis, and inquilinism. Within these relationships the commensal organism benefits from the other organism by being provided food, shelter, or transportation.

What Is Commensalism Examples For Kids?

Commensalism. A relationship in which one member benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed is known as commensalism. For example, the remora fish can attach itself to a shark, whale, or large turtle and be carried from meal to meal, feeding on scraps scattered by its host.

What Plants Are Commensalism?

2 Commensalism
Epiphytes, plants that benefit by using their hosts for aerial support but gain their resources from the atmosphere, and cattle egrets, which eat insects flushed by grazing cattle, are well-known examples of commensalism.

Conclusion 

Above, we have mentioned all about commensalism and its examples in detail. There are mainly four types of commensalism and they are chemical commensalism, phoresy, metabiosis, and inquilines. Do you know? Domestic animals like cats, dogs, and other animals appear to have started out with commensal relationships with humans. In the case of the dog, DNA evidence indicates that dogs associated themselves with people before humans switched from hunting-gathering to agriculture. Now, you have understood the examples of commensalism.