Egyptian plover Egyptian plover The Egyptian plover ("Pluvianus aegyptius"), also known as the crocodile bird, is a wader, the only member of the genus "Pluvianus". Formerly placed in the pratincole and courser family, Glareolidae, it is now regarded as the sole member of its own monotypic family Pluvianidae. The species is one of several plovers doubtfully associated with the "trochilus" bird mentioned in a supposed cleaning symbiosis with the Nile crocodile. The Egyptian plover is a striking and unmistakable species. The 19–21 cm long adult has a black crown, back, eye-mask and breast band. The rest of the head is white. The
Symbiotic bacteria endonuclear symbiotic bacterium Holospora, it has been discovered that Holospora species can maintain their infectivity for a limited time and form a symbiotic relationship with Paramecium species. It is well accepted and understood that there is a mutualistic relationship between plants and rhizobial bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi enabling the plants to survive in an otherwise nitrogen-poor soil environment. Co-evolution is described as a situation where two organisms evolve in response to one another. In a study reported in "Functional Ecology", these scientists investigated whether such a mutualistic relationship conferred an evolutionary advantage to either plant or symbiont. They did not