NEET BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Remoras keep the waters clear of scraps around the shark, preventing the development of unhealthy organisms near the shark. The host shark is also kept clean of irritating parasites that could adversely affect its health.

Detailed explanation-2: -The pilot fish’s relationship with sharks is a mutualist one; the pilot fish gains protection from predators, while the shark gains freedom from parasites.

Detailed explanation-3: -Elicit from students that the shark and the remoras, the smaller fish below the shark, have a symbiotic relationship called commensalism, where the remoras benefit from holding onto the shark, but neither species is harmed.

Detailed explanation-4: -When pilot fish are young, they gather around jellyfish and drifting seaweeds. Pilot fish follow sharks because other animals which might eat them will not come near a shark. In return, sharks do not eat pilot fish because pilot fish eat their parasites. This is called a “mutualist” relationship.

Detailed explanation-5: -Another example of mutualism can be seen with the Leopard shark and remora fish that swim next to it, sometimes attached to the body. The remoras swim very close to the sharks, feeding off scraps of food dropped by the shark and also gaining some protection from predators.