Hitchhikers ...

[MXGratefulDiver]

Everyone knows that there's some critters out there in the water who use other critters for transportation. Remoras come immediately to mind ... we see them attached to sharks and manta rays all the time. But this happens on a much smaller scale as well. Here's a pic I took last night at my local mudhole ... a tiny egg yolk jelly, maybe 2 inches in diameter, acting as public transit for a colony of sea mites. To put this in scale, you couldn't even see the hitchhikers without the aid of magnification ...



... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[drbill]

Although it didn't involve an animal transport vehicle for the most part, much of my early (1960s-70s) research involved looking at the critters that are dispersed on drifting kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera and others) rafts. It can be a very important vehicle for range expansion, especially for critters which lack pelagic larval stages.

 

[iamrushman]

great photo...thanks for sharing.

 

[Wookie]

Awesome, Bob. Didn't know you were a photographer.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

... I think of myself more as a diver who likes to take pictures ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[James R]

It amazing what you see once you are out of the water. Like this crab has a glass goby as a passenger. I didn't see it (the goby) when I took the photo.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Gorgeous shot, James ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Wookie]

Yes, stunning, James.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Here's another one from the same dive ... this little jelly apparently lives in a more diverse neighborhood ...



... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[miked]

Great pix all. Thanks for sharing