Editing Symbiosis (section)

=== Cleaning symbiosis ===

{{main|Cleaning symbiosis}}

[[Cleaning symbiosis]] is an association between individuals of two species, where one (the cleaner) removes and eats parasites and other materials from the surface of the other (the client).<ref>{{cite journal |last=Losey |first=G.S. |title=The Ecological Importance of Cleaning Symbiosis |journal=Copeia |volume=1972 |issue=4 |year=1972 |pages=820–833 |doi=10.2307/1442741 |jstor=1442741 }}</ref> It is putatively mutually beneficial, but biologists have long debated whether it is mutual selfishness, or simply exploitative. Cleaning symbiosis is well known among marine fish, where some small species of [[cleaner fish]] &ndash; notably [[wrasse]]s, but also species in other genera &ndash; are specialized to feed almost exclusively by cleaning larger fish and other marine animals.<ref name="Poulin-1996">{{cite journal |last1=Poulin |first1=Robert |last2=Grutter |first2=Alexandra S. |title=Cleaning Symbioses: Proximate and Adaptive Explanations |journal=BioScience |date=1996 |volume=46 |issue=7 |pages=512–517 |doi=10.2307/1312929 |jstor=1312929 }}</ref> In a supreme situation, the host species (fish or marine life) will display itself at a designated station deemed the "cleaning station".<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Losey |first=George S. |date=1972 |title=The Ecological Importance of Cleaning Symbiosis |journal=Copeia |volume=1972 |issue=4 |pages=820–833 |doi=10.2307/1442741 |jstor=1442741 }}</ref> 

Cleaner fish play an essential role in the reduction of parasitism on marine animals. Some shark species participate in cleaning symbiosis, where cleaner fish remove ectoparasites from the body of the shark.<ref name="Keyes-1982">{{Cite journal |last=Keyes |first=Raymond S. |date=1982 |title=Sharks: An Unusual Example of Cleaning Symbiosis |journal=Copeia |volume=1982 |issue=1 |pages=225–227 |doi=10.2307/1444305 |jstor=1444305 }}</ref> A study by Raymond Keyes addresses the atypical behavior of a few shark species when exposed to cleaner fish. In this experiment, cleaner wrasse ''(Labroides dimidiatus)'' and various shark species were placed in a tank together and observed. The different shark species exhibited different responses and behaviors around the wrasse. For example, Atlantic and Pacific lemon sharks consistently react to the wrasse fish in a fascinating way. During the interaction, the shark remains passive and the wrasse swims to it. It begins to scan the shark's body, sometimes stopping to inspect specific areas. Commonly, the wrasse would inspect the gills, labial regions, and skin. When the wrasse makes its way to the mouth of the shark, the shark often ceases breathing for up to two and a half minutes so that the fish is able to scan the mouth. Then, the fish passes further into the mouth to examine the gills, specifically the buccopharyngeal area, which typically holds the most parasites. When the shark begins to close its mouth, the wrasse finishes its examination and goes elsewhere. Male bull sharks exhibit slightly different behavior at cleaning stations: as the shark swims into a colony of wrasse fish, it drastically slows its speed to allow the cleaners to do their job. After approximately one minute, the shark returns to normal swimming speed.<ref name="Keyes-1982"/>