Communities & Ecosystems

 

Commensalism

Commensalism occurs when one species benefits from an arrangement, while the other species does not benefit, but nor does the second species suffer. One example that many viewers of nature shows, and divers of tropical waters knows is the clown fish. The clown fish lives among the deadly tentacles of a sea anemone. The anemone's tentacles contains nematocyst, which paralyzes the anemone's prey and protect it against predators. Yet the clown fish is not stunned. Living within the anemone's tentacles, the clown fish also gains protection from the nematocyst, as well as food from left overs of the anemone's meals.