Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Commensalism: Clown Fish

Commensalism is the association between two organisms in which one benefits and the other derives neither benefit nor harm. A clown fish and sea anemone are an example of this. The clown fish lives among the deadly tentacles of a sea anemone. The anemone's tentacles contain nematocyst, which paralyzes the anemone's prey and protect it against predators. Oddly, the clown fish cannot be stunned. Living within the anemone's tentacles, the clown fish also gains protection from the nematocyst, as well as food from left-overs of the anemone's meals.

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