Housefly
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The housefly is a fly of the suborder Cyclorrhapha. From its place of origin, perhaps in the Middle East, it has spread around the world as a commensal of humans. Adults are gray to black, with four d
Common house fly, Musca domestica
Housefly mouthparts, showing the pseudotracheae, semitubular grooves (dark parallel bands) used for sucking up liquid food
A housefly wing under 250x magnification
Houseflies mating
Commensalism
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Commensalism is a long-term biological interaction in which members of one species gain benefits while those of the other species neither benefit nor are harmed. This is in contrast with mutualism, in
Housefly
…Musca domestica) is a fly of the suborder Cyclorrhapha. From its place of origin, perhaps in the Middle East, it has spread around the world as a commensal of humans. Adults are gray to black, with four dark, longitudinal lines on the thorax, slightly hairy bodies, and a single pair of membranous wings…
Remora are specially adapted to attach themselves to larger fish (or other animals, in this case a sea turtle) that provide locomotion and food.
Domestic and feral pigeons (above) (Columba livia domestica) are commensals, having lived alongside humans for thousands of years after being domesticated from the rock dove (Columba livia). Due to its range being expanded with human assistance, the pigeon has a cosmopolitan distribution.
Phoretic mites on a fly (Pseudolynchia canariensis)
Inquilinism: Tillandsia bourgaei growing on an oak tree in Mexico