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___ refers to a form of symbiosis where one partner benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed; Staphylococcus epidermidis lives off of skin secretions and sloughed cells.

Option 1: Mutualism
Option 2: Commensalism
Option 3: Parasitism
Option 4: Predation

1 Answer

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Final answer:

Commensalism is the symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits and the other is unaffected, as seen with Staphylococcus epidermidis living on human skin.

Step-by-step explanation:

The form of symbiosis where one partner benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed is called commensalism. An example of commensalism is the relationship between Staphylococcus epidermidis, a bacterium that lives on human skin, and humans. This bacterium utilizes skin secretions and sloughed off cells without impacting the human host's health, typically when the immune system is functioning optimally. It is a relationship where S. epidermidis benefits from feeding on dead skin cells, and the human host is not affected.

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