The ocean is full of examples of symbiosis – when two creatures have a close relationship, often that benefits them both – but some are more strange than others. In Bali, Indonesia, an underwater photographer spotted a particularly unusual example.
Yury Ivanov was on a night dive in Tulamben when he saw a peculiar creature scuttling towards him. It looked like a crab wearing an extravagant feathered hat.
Ivanov soon realised that it wasn’t one animal, but two.
“The sea urchin crab (Dorippe frascone) is carrying the upside down jellyfish (Cassiopea andromeda) on [its] back to protect itself from predators,” he says on Instagram.
- When this diver swam up to a frogfish in Bali, they were amazed by what they saw in its mouth
- Night divers capture rare images of fish carrying stinging anemones in their mouths
Also known as carrier crabs, these crustaceans have developed the ability to hold other animals above them, like a shield, using modified legs.
They can often be seen carrying spiky sea urchins but jellyfish, with their stinging tentacles, work well too.
More amazing wildlife stories from around the world
- “Unbelievable”: huge animal longer than bus seen leaping from Irish waters
- Meet the marine escape artist that has multiple hearts, can change colour and regenerate its limbs
- Gigantic iceberg breaks free in Antarctica, revealing ghostly mega-nest beneath
- Adorable leaf sheep filmed mooching around reef in Indonesia is so cute you won’t believe it’s real
