Answer:
A parasitic relationship is the one in which parasite or the organism that feeds upon the host benefits while the host organism is negatively affected.
This relationship cannot be classified as mutualism or commensalism
To Understand the relationship between louse Cymothoa exigua and fishes we need to understand the following:
What is a parasitism?
- A parasitic relationship occurs when one creature, the parasite, feeds on another organism, the host, causing injury and possibly death to the host.
- A parasite lowers the fitness of its host while increasing its own, usually by getting food and shelter.
What is a mutualism?
- Mutualism is a type of relationship in which both live organisms benefit equally and no one is harmed.
- Lichen is a mutualistic association between a fungus and algae, for example. ALgae provides food to fungus by photosynthesis and in return the fungus provides nutrients to algae.
What is Commensalism?
- commensalism is a relationship between members of two species in which one derives food or other benefits from the other without harming or benefiting the other.
- Orchids are a type of flowering plant that grows on tree trunks and branches. Orchids rely on the host plant's branches for sunlight and nourishment. on the other hand, they provide no benefit or harm to the host plants.
Hence this relationship cannot be an example of either mutualisma and commensalism because the host fishes are harmed as their tongue falls out due to louse Cymothoa exigua and in return the parasite attaches itself to the host and feeds on them
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