Symbiotic Relationship: Mutualism
The symbiotic relationship mutualism is when two organisms benefit off each other. The way they can help is that one provides shelter and the other keeps it clean. An example of this is between the sea anemone and the clownfish. The sea anemone provides protection from predators that wish to harm the clownfish as the clownfish is immune to the stinging of the anemone. The clownfish then repay the favor by swimming quickly and providing move water to the sea anemone at night and during the day, where the current may not be as strong.
In short, the symbiotic relationship of mutualism is when two organisms work together to benefit each other, both getting something out of it. I learned most of this last year and the knowledge has been retained inside me, but what I didn't know is that clownfish have a mucus that secrete onto their scales to protect them from the stinging anemones.
Fish, Clown. "Clown Fish And Sea Anemone". Upload.wikimedia.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 11 Oct. 2016.
I knew about symbiotic relationships within other organisms but thats interesting that the clownfish has adapted to the sea anemone well enough to not get stung by it and stay protected.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog! I tend to have trouble keeping my symbiotic relationships separate from each other, but you're blog really helped me! Are there any other examples of mutualism besides the clown fish and sea anemone?
ReplyDeleteOne could be between the whale and a certain fish. The whale grows barnacles on it, and the fish gets rid of the barnacles. The whale then provides protection for the fish against predators that wish to eat it.
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ReplyDeleteBernie Madow- I had heard of symbiotic relationships before but I didn't know much about it. I thought the example with the clownfish was very cool.
ReplyDeleteInteresting topic but one question. Is there any specific reason the anemone needs the clownfish to keep the water moving at night when the current isn't strong?
ReplyDeleteThe reason the anemone needs the clownfish to keep the water moving at night when the current isn't strong is because it cleans the debris that could land in it and gives it fresh oxygen, because all living things need oxygen.
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