Larval Fish and Egg-yolk Jelly

When you're a juvenile fish, cast into the dangerous waters of the open ocean, predators are an ever-present threat.  Everywhere, it would seem, there is someone seeking a tasty meal.  With shelter at a precious premium, anything goes.  That's where large jellies, like the egg-yolk jelly (Phacellophora), can come in quite handy.  In addition to providing a place to hide, the jelly's stinging ability is probably an effective deterrent for many would be predators.  Here a tiny juvenile fish finds comfortable accommodations among the tentacles and oral arms of an egg-yolk jelly.  Eventually it will abandon its gelatinous host and assume an independent existence.        

All photographs in the JelliesZone © David Wrobel and may not be used or copied without permission!