Question

imperial shrimp sometimes catch rides on sea cucumbers to conserve energy. explain why this relationship is an example of commensalism.

Explanation:

Commensalism is a symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits, while the other is neither helped nor harmed. The imperial shrimp benefits by saving energy via the sea cucumber's movement, and the sea cucumber experiences no positive or negative effects from the shrimp's presence.

Answer:

This is commensalism because the imperial shrimp gains a benefit (energy conservation from hitching rides) while the sea cucumber is unaffected—neither benefited nor harmed by the shrimp's presence, which fits the definition of this symbiotic relationship.