Learn + Teach:

Parasitism
By: Nea Portillo
What is parasitism?
It is a symbiotic relationship where an
organism benefits from another
organism.

Types of parasitism
- Ectoparasites
- Intracellular Parasitism
- Hyperparasitism
- Social Parasitism
- Facultative and Obligate Parasitism
 Intracellular
Intracellular parasites rely on a third organism which is called
a carrier. The carrier is used to transfer the parasite to a host.

Intracellular has two types: Facultative and Obligate

parasitism

Example: Malaria is transferred by mosquitoes(carrier) and

when the carrier meets contact with the human, the Malaria is
then able to travel to the human body.
Facultative VS Obligate
Facultative parasitism is where a parasite is able to complete its life cycle
without a host. The Facultative parasites can also reproduce inside or outside of
the host’s cells.

Example: The brain-eating amoeba(Naegleria fowleri) is found in freshwater

and can enter humans but it does not need to live in our bodies to grow.

Obligate parasites need a host to complete their life cycle but will not harm
their host unless not alive.

Example: Lice needs human’s scalp in order to survive

Ectoparasite

Ectoparasites live on the surface of its host

but do not release any disease to the host.
Examples of Ectoparasite are ticks, fleas,
and lice.

The dodder plant wraps a root around the

host plants stem and releases haustoria.
The haustoria absorbs the chlorophyll
from the host plant.
Social Parasitism
Social parasitism is where they rely on their host to do labor work for the
benefit of their offspring/parasite.

Example: A parasitic bee can kill the resident queen and lay their eggs
using the queen’s cells. The worker bees then help raise the young
parasitic bee.
 Necrotrophic Parasites

Necrotrophic parasites eat the host’s tissues

and eventually host dies from the lack of
nutrients.

Example: The blowfly of sheep(lucilia cuprina)

lays its eggs on its host and the larvae eats the
host’s flesh.
Relate and importance

This relates to what we have studied because we have learned

different types of symbiosis which one of them is parasitism.

Without no control of parasites, the population of different

organisms would decrease and possibly go extinct. If we lose
one species, we are at risk of losing others and disrupting
communities.
 Assessment Items

1. Host
2. Carrier
3. Ectoparasites
Citations
1. Britannica
Parasitism | Definition & Examples | Britannica

2. Animal Corner
Parasitic Bees - Facts, Information & Pictures (animalcorner.org)

3. Biology Dictionary
Parasitism - Definition, Types and Examples | Biology Dictionary