Question

A cuckoo laying eggs in the nest of other species of birds is an example of
A. Adelphoparasitism
B. Brood parasitism
C. Ectoparasitism
D. Hyper-parasitism

Answer 1

Hint: The cuckoo bird is known to lay its eggs in the nest of other birds, usually crows because the cuckoo bird does not make its own nest. Therefore, it lays its eggs in the nest of crows where the crow takes care of her eggs and her young ones.

Complete answer: The cuckoo bird lays its eggs in the nest of other birds like crows. It exhibits a form of a parasitic relationship. Here, the cuckoo bird is a parasite and the crow is the host. The host incubates the eggs of the cuckoo bird. During the course of evolution, the eggs of the cuckoo bird have evolved in such a way that they resemble the eggs of the crow in shape, size, and colour. This prevents the host from detecting the foreign eggs and eliminating them from the nest.
a) Adelphoparasitism: It is a type of parasitism in which the host is a member of the same species as that of the parasite or is closely related. The genus or the family of the host could be the same. Therefore, the parasite benefits from its own member. Usually, the male is a parasite on the female of its own species.
Example: Encarsia formosa attacking whiteflies and scale insects.
b) Brood parasitism: It is a type of parasitism in which the parasitic bird lays its eggs in the host’s nest. The host bird incubates the eggs of the parasitic birds. Example: Cuckoo bird laying its eggs in the nest of crows.
c) Ectoparasitism: It is a type of parasitism in which the parasite feeds on the external surface of the host organism. Example: Lice on humans.
d) Hyper-parasitism: It is a type of parasitism in which there is a parasite feeding on another parasite. Example: Pasteurella pestis is a parasite on rat flea which is a parasite on the rat. Thus, based on the above information, we conclude that a cuckoo laying eggs in the nest of other species of birds is an example of brood parasitism.
Hence, the correct answer is option B.

Note: Parasitism is a relationship between two organisms in which only one organism is benefited while the other organism is at a loss. The organism that is benefitted is known as the parasite and the organism that is at loss is the host. Therefore, parasitic interaction is detrimental to the host.