Table 2 Types of Symbiotic Interactions

agonism

An ectosymbiosis that results in harm to one of the participating organisms and benefit to another participating organism

intimate agonism

An agonism where the participating organisms, although physically external to one another, nevertheless have close and persistent physical contact for most or all of the interaction

ectosymbiotic parasitism

An intimate agonism in which the harm is not fatal to the host

ectosymbiotic parasitoidism

An intimate agonism in which the harm is fatal to the host

transient agonism

An agonism where the participating organisms maintain significant physical separation from one another through most or all of the interaction

grazing

A transient agonism in which the harm is not fatal

predation

A transient agonism in which the harm is fatal

amensalism

An ectosymbiosis that results in harm to one of the participating organisms but neither harms nor benefits the other participating organisms

antagonism

An ectosymbiosis that results in harm to all participating organisms

ectosymbiotic commensalism

An ectosymbiosis that results in benefit to one participating organism and neither harm nor benefit to the other participating organisms

ectosymbiotic mutualism

An ectosymbiosis that results in benefit to all participating organisms

endosymbiotic parasitism

An endosymbiosis that results in benefit to the parasite and harm to the host

endosymbiotic parasitoidism

An endosymbiosis that results in benefit to the parasitoid and death to the host

endosymbiotic commensalism

An endosymbiosis that results in benefit to one organism and neither harm nor benefit to the other participating organisms

endosymbiotic mutualism

An endosymbiosis that results in benefit to all participating organisms

obligatory ectosymbiotic parasitism

An ectosymbiotic parasitism that realizes a biological function that inheres in some proper part of the parasite

obligatory ectosymbiotic parasitoidism

An ectosymbiotic parasitoidism that realizes a biological function that inheres in some proper part of the parasitoid

obligatory ectosymbiotic commensalism

An ectosymbiotic commensalism that realizes a biological function that inheres in some proper part of the commensal organism that benefits

obligatory ectosymbiotic mutualism

An ectosymbiotic mutualism that realizes a biological function that inheres in some proper part of at least one of the organisms participating

obligatory endosymbiotic parasitism

An endosymbiotic parasitism that realizes a biological function that inheres in some proper part of the parasite

obligatory endosymbiotic parasitoidism

An endosymbiotic parasitoidism that realizes a biological function that inheres in some proper part of the parasitoid

obligatory endosymbiotic commensalism

An endosymbiotic commensalism that realizes a biological function that inheres in some proper part of the commensal organism that benefits

obligatory endosymbiotic mutualism

An endosymbiotic mutualism that realizes a biological function that inheres in some proper part of at least one of the organisms participating

facultative ectosymbiotic parasitism

An ectosymbiotic parasitism that realizes some facultative parasite role inhering in an organism that is also realized by a bodily benefit to that organism

facultative ectosymbiotic parasitoidism

An ectosymbiotic parasitoidism that realizes some facultative parasitoid role inhering in an organism that is also realized by a bodily benefit to that organism

facultative ectosymbiotic commensalism

An ectosymbiotic commensalism that realizes some facultative commensal role inhering in an organism that is also realized by a bodily benefit to that organism

facultative ectosymbiotic mutualism

An ectosymbiotic mutualism that realizes some facultative mutualist role inhering in an organism that is also realized by a bodily benefit to that organism

facultative endosymbiotic parasitism

An endosymbiotic parasitism that realizes some facultative parasite role inhering in an organism that is also realized by a bodily benefit to that organism

facultative endosymbiotic parasitoidism

An endosymbiotic parasitoidism that realizes some facultative parasitoid role inhering in an organism that is also realized by a bodily benefit to that organism

facultative endosymbiotic commensalism

An endosymbiotic commensalism that realizes some facultative commensal role inhering in an organism that is also realized by a bodily benefit to that organism

facultative endosymbiotic mutualism

An endosymbiotic mutualism that realizes some facultative mutualist role inhering in an organism that is also realized by a bodily benefit to that organism