I Love The Word Symbiosis - Tumblr Posts

Adventures in deep-sea parasailing 🪂

This tiny jelly was playing host to an even tinier hyperiid amphipod when our remotely operated vehicle Doc Ricketts spotted them at 571 meters (over 1,800 feet) deep.

Nearly all hyperiids have some relationship with other gelatinous midwater organisms. These interactions, known as symbiosis, can be friendly and not-so-friendly. In different types of symbiosis, mutualism is when both animals benefit, while commensalism is when one benefits and the other is neither harmed nor helped. But when a parasite eats its host, it’s definitely not a harmonious alliance. Whether the animal is hitchhiking to move around, hiding from predators, or just finding a better home, these connections help life in the deep thrive.