Question

Some birds follow moving swarms of army ants in the tropics. As the ants march along the forest floor hunting insects and small vertebrates, birds follow and pick off any insects or small vertebrates that fly or jump out of the way of the ants. This situation is an example of what kind of species interaction between the birds and the ants?
A) Cooperation
B) Consumption
C) Commensalism
D) Parasitism
E) Mutualism

Answer 1

Answer:

Some birds follow moving swarms of army ants in the tropics. As the ants march along the forest floor hunting insects and small vertebrates, birds follow and pick off any insects or small vertebrates that fly or jump out of the way of the ants. This situation is an example of

C) Commensalism.

Explanation:

Commensalism, is a relationship between individuals of two species in which one species is benefited or obtains food from the other without either harming or benefiting the latter.

An example of commensalism is a pilot fish (Naucrates ductor) swimming alongside a whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus).

A commensal species benefits from another species by getting locomotion, shelter, food, or support from the host species, which (for the most part) neither benefits nor is harmed.