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Phagophilia

Phagophilia or phagophily is the behaviour of feeding on parasites. It is also an example of cleaning symbiosis.

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Phagophilia or phagophily is the behaviour of feeding on parasites. It is also an example of cleaning symbiosis.12

Austrian arachnologist Max Beier reported on phagophilia in pseudoscorpions. Many pseudoscorpion species co-exist with packrat species, and two of them are known to feed on packrat ectoparasites, to mutual benefit.34

References

References

  1. "A glossary of some of the terms used in insect ecology", by Claude K. Warner, 1947, Cornell University
  2. "Die Formen der Vergesellschaftung im Tierreiche: Ein systematisch-soziologischer Versuch", Paul Deegener, 1918
  3. SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PSEUDOSCORPIONS (ARACHNIDA) AND PACKRATS (RODENTIA), Journal of Arachnology 34(2):289-298. 2006, doi:10.1636/04-36.1
  4. Beier, M. 1948. Phoresie und phagophilie bei pseudoscorpionen. Österreichische Zoologische Zeitschrift 1:441–497.