commensalism

[ kuh-men-suh-liz-uhm ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

Ecology. a type of relationship between two species of a plant, animal, fungus, etc., in which one lives with, on, or in another without damage to either.
Sociology. peaceful coexistence among individuals or groups having independent or different values or customs.

commensalism

/ kə-mĕn′sə-lĭz′əm /

A symbiotic relationship between two organisms of different species in which one organism derives benefit while the other is unaffected. Examples of commensalism include epiphytic plants, which depend on a larger host plant for support but which do not derive any nourishment from it, and remoras, which attach themselves to sharks and feed on their leavings without appreciably hindering their hosts.
Compare amensalism

In Hemileia it was ruthless parasitism; in Strigula advantageous commensalism.

Mr. A. Agassiz has remarked to me another example of commensalism.

Remarkable cases occur of commensalism between certain crabs and sea-anemones, and they betoken much intelligence.

But the precise limit at which commensalism begins is not always easily to be ascertained.

Another case of commensalism has been made known to us by Professor Reinhardt of Copenhagen.

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