Lecture 3: Types of Animal Association
Dr. K. H. Bulbul
Professor -Cum- Chief Scientist
Division of Veterinary Parasitology
F.V.Sc. & A.H., SKUAST-K, Shuhama
Animal association
symbiosis
commensalism
mutualism
parasitism
phoresis and
Predatorism
Symbiosis:
• It is an physiologically obligatory relationship between two different
species which live together for mutual benefit (symbiont- smaller
one) and if they are separated, both of them suffer e.g. Flagellates
in the guts of termites, these flagellates are capable of hydrolyzing
the wood eaten by the termites for their own termites use which
termites themselves cannot digest; termites on the other hand
provide proper habitat and food (cellulose in wood) to flagellates.
Zochlorella lives in the cells of hydra, hence gets the protection.
Secondly the CO2 produced by the hydra is taken & utilized in food
making and release O2 by Zochlorella which is utilized by hydra.
• Term symbiosis is the relationship wherein both partners benefit.
• Both are metabolically dependent upon each other that one cannot
live without the help of other, hence their separate existence is not
possible.
Symbiotic relationship
Both organisms
One is benefitted are benefitted
and other
unaffected Commensalism Mutualism
Parasitism
Parasitism
One is benefitted and
other harmed
Commensalism:
• The term means “eating at the same table,” and many
commensal relationships involve feeding on food “wasted” or
otherwise not consumed by the host.
• It is a non-obligatory relationship between the two different
species wherein the one (commensal) benefit itself
nutritionally from the other, but other neither gets the benefit
nor harmed.
• In commensalism one partner benefits from the association,
but the host is neither helped nor harmed
• Example: Entamoeba coli in the large intestine of man and
Trichomonas spp. live in intestine of animals; Pilot fish and
remoras or Pilot fish and shark
Mutualism:
• It is a relationship between two different species which live
together for mutual benefit, but this relationship is not obligatory
for them i.e. if separated both of them can survive independently
• Termites and their intestinal protozoan fauna are an excellent
example of mutualism. Termites cannot digest cellulose because
they cannot synthesize and secrete the enzyme cellulase. The
myriad flagellates in a termite’s intestine, however, synthesize
cellulase and consequently digest wood eaten by their host. The
termite uses molecules excreted as a by-product of the flagellates’
metabolism. If we kill the flagellates by exposing termites to high
temperature or high oxygen concentration, then the termites
starve to death, even though they continue to eat wood.
• In herbivores ruminal flora help in digestion of cellulose in
ruminants and in return get protection and food from the animals.
Parasitism:
• It is an intimate association between the two specially distinct
organisms, wherein the smaller (parasite) is metabolically
dependent on the bigger one (host) and this relationship
physiological and obligatory for the parasite.
• The parasite always causes damage to the host while living on
or in its surface or inside its body e.g. Fasciola is found in bile
duct and gall bladder of sheep & cattle.
• Parasitism is an association, in which the parasite derives
benefit from the host and always causes injury to the host,
e.g. Haemonchus contortus and goat.
• The phenomenon of dependence of one species of smaller
organism (parasite) on another bigger species of organism
(host) which is always harmed is known as parasitism.
Parasitosis:
It is an association between two individuals in which the infective agent
injures the host causes symptoms and lesions of the disease.
In this type of parasitism, the disease or infection is denoted by putting
suffix- osis (plural oses) to the name of the parasite e.g. Theileria + osis=
Theileriosis, Fasciola + osis= Fasciolosis. Schistosoma +osis= Schistosomosis.
Parasitiasis:
It is an association between two individuals in which one is potentially
pathogenic but does not cause symptoms of the disease.
In this type of parasitism, the disease or infection is denoted by putting
suffix – iasis (plural –iases) in the name of the parasite with same
changes, e.g. Theilaria +iasis= theilariasis, Fasciola+iasis= fascioliasis).
Parasitosis Parasitiasis
1. The host is not capable of 1. The host is capable to
repair the damage. repair the damage.
2. The symptoms are 2. The symptoms are not
noticeable. noticeable.
3. It is a state of imbalance. 3. It is a state of balance.
Coccidiosis, Coccidiasis,
Trypanosomosis, Trypanosomiasis,
Babesiosis Babesiasis
Phoresis:
• Phoresis exists when two symbionts are merely “traveling
together,” and there is no physiological or biochemical
dependence on the part of either participant.
• It implies a temporary relationship, usually with no metabolic
dependence, in which one organism transports or shelter
another.
• Usually one phoront is smaller than the other and is
mechanically carried about by its larger companion. Bacteria
and amoebae travel on the legs of fly; beetles carrying fungal
spores on legs.
Predatorism
• Predatorism: It is usually a short term relationship or
association between two individuals in which one (the
predator) benefit at the expense of the other (the prey).
• Predator: It is an individual which temporarily attacks and
destroys animals or plants in order to obtain food, usually
feed on smaller or weaker organism which are their prey e.g.
cat for rat
• Prey: The smaller or weaker organism or animals are usually
eaten up by the predator e.g. rat for cat.
Predator Parasite
i) There is no physiological i) There is physiological
association between the association between the
predator and prey. host and the parasites.
ii) The predator kills the prey. ii) The intention of parasite
is not to kill the host.
iii)The predator is bigger and iii)The parasite is smaller
stronger than the parasite. and weaker than the host.
Hypobiosis: It is an interruption in development of nematode
larvae or arrested larval development of nematode within the
host, occurs seasonally, usually at the when conditions are not
favourable to the development and survival for free living
stages, e.g. such condition commonly seen in
• Ostertagia infection in ruminants;
• Trichstrongylus in horses and
• Hyostrongylus rubidus in pigs.
Diapause: It is an adaptation phenomenon whereby
ectoparasites survive in adverse conditions by a cessation of
growth and metabolism at a particular stage, e.g. Hypoderma
bovis
