Parasitism: definition and examples

Interspecific relationships are those that They occur between different species organisms that make up the same biological community. According to the type of interaction and the result of the same, the organisms that participate in it can benefit (+) or on the contrary, harmed (-), as well as remain in a neutral state (0) in certain cases.

In this way, the different Types of interspecific relationships that occur between different species are:

• Relationships between types of type (0)/(+): Amensalism and antibiosis.
• Interspecific relationships (+)/(0): epibiosis, tanatocreis, forest, dinerism and inquinylism.
• Relationships between type (+) species/(-): predation, exploitation and parasitism.
• Interspecific relationships (+)/(+): Symbiosis and mutualism.
• Relationships between types of the type (-)/(-) or (+): Competencies by exploitation or by interference.

Now that we already know the different types of interspecific relationships that exist and we can differentiate them in one or another group, in the next section we will focus only and exclusively on the Interspecific relationship of parasitism.

In this other ecology article, you can learn much more about interspecific relationships, their types and examples.

As we have indicated above, parasitism is a Type Interest Relationship (+) (-)in which an organism (parasite) benefits from another (host), which is harmed by the action and invasion of the other species, suffering damage to a greater or lesser extent, according to the degree of parasitism.

For him parasite organism Establishing this type of interspecific relationship with another species is its only way of life, since it depends on other organisms to supply its energy and food needs, as well as to reproduce and guarantee its survival and offspring. In this way, the parasite and The guest They live for a certain time, until one of the two dies.

In the next sections we will know the different Types of parasitism That exist in nature, what are the main organisms that act as parasites, as well as several concrete examples that will allow us to better understand the complex process of parasitism relations that are established between different species.

When classifying and separating the different types of parasitism, it is necessary to accept one or another criterion. In this way, we appoint below some of the most common classifications that allow us to differentiate between various types of parasitism:

Classification of parasitism according to the guest

According to the type of organism to which parasites infect we can talk about:

• Phytoparasites (infect plants).
• Zooparasites (infect animals).

Classification of parasitism according to the degree of dependency

According to the degree of dependence established by the parasite with its guest we find different Types of parasitism:

• Obligated parasites: They depend completely for their survival and correct development of the presence of a guest they infect.
• Optional parasites: These parasites are able to survive during certain stages of their development or under certain conditions without the need to invade and infect another organism to guarantee their survival.
• Accidental parasites: On some occasions, parasites mistakenly infect another organism that does not usually be their common guest. Despite this, they manage to adapt to this new guest and achieve their goal: to supply and survive from the infected body.
• Erratic parasites: On other occasions, although the parasite has managed to infect its common guest, it does so in some fabric and organ that is not usually the most indicated for its survival, so it makes an error when choosing its infection habitat and must adapt to survive.

Classification of parasitism according to its duration

Depending on the time the period of infection by the parasite to the guest, these parasites are considered, from greater to less permanence time: permanent, periodic or temporal parasites.

Classification of parasitism according to location

Depending on the location that the parasite adopts in the guest organism we can find ectoparasites (outside the organism) or endoparas (inside).

These are the basic classifications to be able to know well the types of parasites there are, which also helps us realize that some become well known, while the vast majority we do not know, as we will see in the examples that we will show below.

The great diversity of parasitic organisms and their needs and processes of parasitism make examples of this type of interspecific interaction very varied. Here are some Examples of parasitism:

Zooparasites

• Mites (subclass carei, arachnids).
• Fleas (siphonaptera order, insects).
• Ticks (ixodide order, arachnids).
• Bed bug (CIMEX LECTULARIUSInsects).
• Lice (order phthiraptera, insects).
• Guinea worm (Dracunculus medinensis).
• Emerald Wasp of Cockroaches (Ampulex Compressa).

Specifically in the intestinal parasitism of many mammals, including the human being, various zooparasites of the amoebas group, such as the species, are involved Entamoeba histolytica, as well as flagellated protozoa as Giardia Lamblia, Intestinal worms (Ascaris lumbricoides), oxiuros (Entervius vermicularis) and you had (gender taenia).

Phytoparasites

• Red sticker (Rhychoforus ferrugineus, Insects).
• Green bug (Nezara Viridula, Insects).
• Termites (infraorden isoptera, insects).
• Aphids (Aphididae family, insects).

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