An egret feeds on the ticks present on a buffalo. What could be the term for their relationship: is it commensalism or is it mutualism?
1 Answer
Mar 13, 2017
When egrets feed on ticks, the buffalo obviously derives benefits: it is getting rid of the blood sucking parasites.
(In case of egrets following cattle, the mammals do not derive any benefit: only egrets collect food easily)
In commensalism, one animal derives benefit from the association but the other is neither harmed nor helped.
In case of egrets feeding on ticks, both the bird and the buffalo are benefited from this association. Thus the association will be called MUTUALISM .
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