Epibiont

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The blowholes of a grey whale, with barnacle epibionts

An epibiont is an organism that lives on the surface of another living organism.[1] An epibiont is usually considered harmless to the host; in this sense, the relationship between the two organisms can be considered neutralistic or commensalistic. Typical epibionts are barnacles, remoras and algae, all of which live on many larger marine organisms, such as whales, sharks, sea turtles and mangroves. The host of the epibiont is typically referred to as the basibiont.[2]

See also

  • Epiliths, organisms that that grow on a rock

References

  1. ↑ H. L. Lescinsky (2001). "Epibionts". In Derek E. G. Briggs & Peter R. Crowther. Palaeobiology II. Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 460–463. doi:10.1002/9780470999295.ch112. ISBN 978-0-632-05149-6. 
  2. ↑ Gregorio Fernandez-Leborans, Yukio Hanamura, Ryon Siow & Phaik-Ean Chee (2009). "Intersite epibiosis characterization on dominant mangrove crustacean species from Malaysia". Contributions to Zoology 78 (1): 9–23. 


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