Ключовата разлика между паразитизма и мутуализма е, че паразитизмът е тип симбиотична връзка, която възниква между два вида, при които паразитът живее вътре или върху организма гостоприемник и получава ползи за сметка на гостоприемника, докато мутуализмът е вид симбиотична връзка, при която видовете се възползват от взаимодействието.
Symbiotic associations are specific interactions between two or more species that live together. Some symbiotic interactions are beneficial while some are harmful. There are three types of symbiotic associations as mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism. Commensalism is a relationship between two parties in which one party gains benefits without harming or benefitting the other party. Orchids are a good example of commensalism. They grow on tall trees to get sunlight and obtain mineral nutrients from the barks of the host trees. Whereas, mutualism is an interaction which is beneficial for both parties in the interaction. On the other hand, parasitism is a kind of symbiosis in which one organism benefits at the expense of the other party.
