Early stage phyllosoma larvae of slipper lobsters and crawfish are frequently found riding on small medusae, or jellyfish phases, of hydromedusae, of which only part of their life is spent as a jellyfish, the other part as a shrubby growth attached to rock or reef and completely sessile. This phyllosoma continued to ride his host all the while we were filming them, indicating that the bond between them was strong, even in the face of external disruption. When the phyllosoma grows too big for its host, they will have to depart, swim free and find a new and larger one. The danger of being grabbed by a predator during that searching process must be huge, and it is surprising that any larval Slipper Lobster makes it through to maturity, at all.

Lizard Island, Australia (2008)

Nikon F3 | Custom Optics | Fuji Velvia

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