Question

Small / Suckerfish sticks to the bottom of the shark to obtain food crumbs. The association is
A) Antibiosis
B) Predation
C) Commensalism
D) Parasitism

Answer 1

Hint: In the animal world, it is recognised as a symbiotic relationship if the relationship benefits both species. The relationship between sharks and remora fish is one example of symbiosis.

Complete Answer:
- A relationship develops in the world of the animals. Sometimes the relationship between the most unlikely pairs grows. Remora is also known as shark sucker or suckerfish.
- The remora is a small fish normally measuring one to three feet long. Their front dorsal fins developed over time to form an organ that sits on top of their heads like a suction cup.
- This organ enables the remora to bind to a passing shark, usually on the ventral or underside of the shark.
- Remoras consume prey scraps which the shark lowers. They even feed off parasites on the skin and in the mouth of the shark. That makes the shark happy because otherwise the shark will get annoyed by the parasites.

A) Commensalism is a long-standing biological phenomenon. Here, the members of one species prosper while those of the other species never benefit and neither is harmed. The commensal relationship is between a larger host and a lesser commensal. The host organism is unmodified, while the commensal species can exhibit great structural adaptation.
B) An antagonistic relationship between two species, in particular, micro-organisms, in which one is adverse is known as Antibiosis.
C) Predation is known as preying on one animal on others.
D) Parasitism, the association between two plant or animal species in which one profits at the cost of the other, sometimes without destroying the host organism.

So the answer is C, Commensalism.

Note: Remora is known to be attached to and sitting on, sharks, other large marine mammals, and ocean-going ships. The association between the shark and the remora benefits both species.