Question

interaction 1: hornbills catch insects disturbed by mongooses searching for food. at the same time, the hornbills warn the mongooses of any approaching predators.
interaction 2: lampreys are eel - like fish that clamp onto large fish and feed on their blood and bodily fluids. this causes wounds to the large fish.
interaction 3: cattle egrets feed on insects stirred up by grazing cows. the cows are left unaffected by the interaction.
which of the interactions is best described as commensal?
choose 1 answer:
a interaction 1
b interaction 2
c interaction 3

Explanation:

Commensalism is a symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed. In Interaction 1, both hornbills and mongooses benefit (mutualism). In Interaction 2, lampreys benefit at the expense of large fish (parasitism). In Interaction 3, cattle egrets benefit from the insects stirred up by cows, and cows are unaffected, which is commensalism.

Answer:

C. Interaction 3