Symbiosis and Parasitism quiz

More questions about Symbiosis and Parasitism

These visible examples show the question style. LearnClash turns the full topic into ranked duels and spaced repetition.

1. 1 Easy

   What do biologists call a parasite of a parasite?

   Answer: Hyperparasite

   Why: Wasps are the main insect hyperparasites, laying their eggs in or near the larvae of other parasitic insects.

2. 2 Medium

   Which group does reindeer moss belong to?

   Answer: Lichens

   Why: Reindeer lichen grows only a few millimetres a year, so grazed or burned patches can take decades to recover.

3. 3 Hard

   What fish stands guard for the poor-sighted pistol shrimp?

   Answer: Goby

   Why: Outside the burrow, the shrimp keeps one antenna on the goby, and a flick of the goby's tail warns it to dart back inside.

4. 4 Easy

   Which Christmas plant grows as a parasite on trees?

   Answer: Mistletoe

   Why: Its green leaves let mistletoe make its own food, while a root-like haustorium draws water and minerals from the tree.

5. 5 Medium

   How do clownfish avoid their anemone's stings?

   Answer: Mucus coat

   Why: Sialic acid, a sugar that sets off anemone stinging cells, is scarcer in clownfish mucus than in that of damselfish living away from anemones.

6. 6 Hard

   Where do the ants guarding a bullhorn acacia live?

   Answer: Hollow thorns

   Why: The tree also feeds its guards, with sugary nectar from glands near its leaves and protein-rich Beltian bodies.