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inquiline (IN-kwuh-layn, IN-kwuh-lin) - n., an animal that habitually lives commensally in the nest, burrow, or dwelling place of another species. adj., of or living as an inquiline.
For example, insects that live in gopher burrows feeding off their debris. It's a fine line between a parasite and an inquiline, but in general, the latter do no harm and may even do some small good, while still not quite straying into the range of mutualism. Borrowed around 1630 from Latin inquilīnus, tenant, from in- + colere, to live (yes, there's a bit of a shift in that combining form).
---L.
For example, insects that live in gopher burrows feeding off their debris. It's a fine line between a parasite and an inquiline, but in general, the latter do no harm and may even do some small good, while still not quite straying into the range of mutualism. Borrowed around 1630 from Latin inquilīnus, tenant, from in- + colere, to live (yes, there's a bit of a shift in that combining form).
---L.
