Symbiotic Relationships #1

1. The Nile crocodile lets the crocodile bird clean its teeth and mouth. The bird then eats the scraps of food from the crocodile’s teeth. The bird also rids its reptile partner of leeches and other harmful organisms.The bird gets food from the crocodile, and the crocodile gets its teeth cleaned. This is an example of________.

• mutualism
• commensalism
• parasitism

2. Some species of barnacles attach themselves to sea turtles or whales. As the whales or sea turtles travel, the barnacles get a free ride and gain access to food in nutrient-rich waters. Their host (whale or turtle) neither benefits nor is harmed by its barnacle riders. This is an example of________.

• mutualism
• commensalism
• parasitism

3. A pearlfish spends the day inside the alimentary tract, or intestines, of a sea cucumber. The fish emerges from the sea cucumber at night to feed on small crustaceans. The pearlfish gets a safe place to live. The sea cucumber does not gain anything from the relationship and is not harmed.This is an example of________.

• commensalism
• mutualism
• parasitism

4. Bees fly from flower to flower to gather nectar which they make into food. When they land in a flower, the bees get some pollen on their hairy bodies, and when they land in the next flower, some of the pollen from the first one rubs off, pollinating the plant to produce seeds so that more plants can grow. This is an example of________.

• parasitism
• mutualism
• commensalism

5. Ticks live on dogs and feed off the dog’s blood. They may also infect the dog with a parasite that can cause the dog to become quite sick. Dogs also are sometimes found to be very tired because a large volume of their blood has been drained. Ticks benefit, and dogs are harmed. This is an example of________.

• parasitism
• mutualism
• commensalism

6. The badger cannot find a bee's nest easily by itself, but once shown the nest by the honeyguide bird, the badger can open the nest with using its huge claws. The badger eats the honey it wants and the honeyguide bird eats the leftovers. This is an example of________.

• commensalism
• parasitism
• mutualism

7. Tapeworms are segmented flatworms that attach themselves to the insides of the intestines of animals such as cows, pigs, and humans. Tapeworms get food by eating the host's (animal's) partly digested food, and depriving the host (animal) of nutrients. This is an example of________.

• commensalism
• parasitism
• mutualism

8. The orchid plant attaches to the branches and trunks of a tree in a tropical environment. The tree lifts the small plant up off the ground and into the air so it can reach the sunlight. This helps the orchid get energy from the sun that doesn't get through the thickness of trees in the forest. The tree is not harmed. This is an example of________.

• mutualism
• commensalism
• parasitism

9. Some types of yucca plants can only be pollinated by the yucca moth. Pollination needs to happen for the plant to make seeds and reproduce. The yucca moths use the yucca as a safe space to lay their eggs. This is an example of________.

• mutualism
• commensalism
• parasitism

10. A robin builds a nest in a tree. The tree provides a home and protection for the bird's nest. The nest does not affect the tree in any way. This is an example of________.

• mutualism
• commensalism
• parasitism