BIO 439: Intro and Terms Vocabulary

symbiosis

relationship in which any two different organisms live together (parasitism is a type of this)

obligatory

must be maintained for some reason (usually because of survival); like marriage  

facultative

can be an off/on relationship; like dating

homogenetic

intra-specific associations; between same species; ex: 2 students studying together  

heterogenetic

inter-specific associations; between different species  

symbionts

the partners in a symbiotic relationship  

commensalism

involves commensals; one partner benefits while the other is not obviously affected; no metabolic dependence; ex: oxpecker and buffalo   

commensals

members of a commensal relationship  

synoecious

one animal lives in the shell or body of another  

phoresis

phoront and host; mostly associated with purposes of transport; ex: flies transporting bacteria; no metabolic dependence  

phoront

traveling on the host (usually larger); in a phoresis relationship

predation

predator and prey; usually heterogenetic, but could be homogenetic; spatially intimate, but temporally short; strict carnivores are metabolically dependent upon their prey  

parasitoid

predation; parasite in early development, but finally kills host at completion of early development   

mutualism

involves mutuals; mutually beneficial; metabolic dependency—obligatory; ex: termites and their gut protozoans  

parasitism

a spatially intimate and continuous relationship in which one organism lives in or on the host; parasite is metabolically dependent (therefore obligatory) often damages host and the host often elicits an immune response; heterogenetic; pathology present; parasite usually recognizes host (seeks it out) and host recognizes parasite (immune response)

pathology

anatomical or functional manifestation of disease—not necessarily “bad

disease

abnormal condition of some organism, especially as a consequence of infection; it impairs normal functioning  

overt pathology

obvious that the disease exists (clinical)  

species specificity

recognition; some parasites are found only in certain hosts, which are located via chemical cues  

ectoparasite

lives on external surface of host; cause infestations; ex: fleas, ticks, lice   

endoparasite

lives inside the host; cause infections   

monoxenous

living within a single host during a parasite’s life cycle  

heteroxenous

living within more than one host during a parasite’s life cycle  

microparasite

parasite that multiplies in the host

macroparasite

relatively large, typically do not multiply in the host  

host

organism which harbors parasite  

intermediate host

parasite develops to some extent, but does not undergo sexual reproduction  

definitive host

host in which sexual maturity occurs  

biological vector

parasite undergoes development as an essential part of its life cycle

paratenic host

aka transport host or mechanical vector; parasite undergoes no development; ex: mouthpart of fly or contaminated syringes  

reservoir host

the host in which an infectious agent normally lives  

reservoir

anything in which an infectious agent normally lives (can be an organism, air, water, syringe, etc.); can serve as sources of infection

zoonosis

disease which is transmitted from animals to humans