Interspecies Interaction That Benefits Both Participants is Known as __________

Question

Interspecies interaction that benefits both participants is known as __________.  
A) commensalism
B) symbiosis
C) parasitism
D) epiphytic
E) mutualism

Accepted Answer

Mutualism is the most appropriate choice as it describes an interspecies interaction that benefits both participants. Commensalism describes a situation where one organism benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed. Symbiosis is a general term used to describe any long-term relationship between different species, regardless of whether it benefits both, one, or neither of the participants. Parasitism is a relationship where one organism benefits while the other is harmed. Epiphytic describes a type of relationship where one organism lives on the surface of another organism, but it may or may not benefit from this relationship.