This is a photo of human eyelashes that contain mites. The human eyelashes with mites demonstrates commensalism. Commensalism is a relationship between two species where one obtains benefits from the other while the other species is not harmed or benefited. In commensalism, the benefited species obtains things such as nutrients, shelter, support, or transportation. In the photo, the two species involved in commensalism are a human and microscopic mites. Mites take shelter in human eyelashes and receive nutrients through human glandular secretions in the hair follicles. More specifically, the mite species that take shelter on the hair follicles are demodex folliculorum. In exchange, the human host receives no benefits and is not harmed. Other examples of commensalism are the remora fish benefiting off of sharks, lichens using trees as hosts, and sea anemones on hermit crabs. In all examples, one species is surviving off of the other while the other species is simply the host receiving no benefits or harm.
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Commensalism.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica,
Inc., 27 Dec. 2017, www.britannica.com/science/commensalism.
Rush, Aisha. “Demodex Folliculorum.” Animal Diversity Web, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Demodex_folliculorum/.
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