04/08/2026
Since it is National Dental Hygienists Week 🇨🇦, here are some cute ones from nature:
"Cleaner shrimp are small crustaceans that live in coral reefs and perform a vital "cleaning" service for other marine animals, removing parasites, dead skin, and debris from fish, even large predators. They advertise their services by waving their long antennae and are easily identified by bright colors, often red with a white stripe, and a distinctive "dance". This symbiotic relationship benefits both the shrimp, which gets food, and the fish, which stays healthy."
"Egyptian Plover: Often called the "crocodile bird," it is famously said to hop into the open jaws of Nile crocodiles to pick out meat scraps.
Note: While this is a popular legend and cited by many sources as a classic example of mutualism, some modern researchers note a lack of recent photographic or video evidence to document the behavior."
"Remoras, or suckerfish, are marine fish known for their symbiotic relationship with larger animals like sharks, whales, and turtles, which they attach to using a suction disc on their heads. This allows them to get a free ride, protection, and food scraps, while they often clean their hosts by eating parasites and dead skin, benefiting both species. They are found in tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide and are opportunistic feeders, also eating plankton and small fish."
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