Metabiosis

Metabiosis is a type of interaction between organisms in which one organism lives inside or on the surface of another. The word "metabiosis" comes from the Greek words "meta" - "among, between" and "biosis" - "life".

Metabiosis is common among marine organisms. For example, small crustaceans live on the surface of whales, using them as a means of transportation and feeding on the remains of the host's food. Metabiosis is also observed between cleaner fish and large predatory fish - cleaner fish eat parasites on the bodies of sharks and other large fish.

Another example of metabiosis is lichens. In their case, the fungus and algae form a symbiotic relationship, living together as a single organism. The algae, using photosynthesis, provides the fungus with nutrients, and the fungus, in turn, protects the algae and provides it with support.

Thus, metabiosis is a type of close relationship and interdependence between representatives of different biological species, in which both organisms receive certain advantages for survival. This is one of the forms of symbiosis in nature.