In the scenario described, where silverfish live and hunt with army ants, sharing the prey without helping or harming the ants, we can analyze the interactions as follows:
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Who benefits?
- The silverfish benefit from the relationship, as they share in the prey that the army ants hunt. This provides them with a source of food without having to expend effort in hunting.
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Who is harmed?
- Neither species is harmed. The army ants are not affected negatively by the presence of silverfish, and the silverfish are not detracting from the ants’ hunting or success. Therefore, there are no direct harms noted in this relationship.
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Who is neutral?
- The army ants are neutral in relation to the silverfish, as they neither gain nor lose from the presence of silverfish. They continue their hunting without any positive or negative impact from the silverfish.
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What relationship is this?
- This relationship can be classified as commensalism. In commensalism, one species benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed. In this case, the silverfish benefit by sharing in the prey, while the army ants are unaffected by their presence.
In summary, the silverfish benefit, the army ants are neutral, and this relationship is an example of commensalism.
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