Link to an earlier post about shrimp jockeys…

https://mander.xyz/post/11798834

…and a rather spiffy pic!

photo by Ludovic

I like how you’re thinking… also a shrimp jockey jauntily attached to the head at the side (like a head broach)

Fuch yeah! That is amazing!

So many possibilities… Something frilly or sleak? Maybe neon/pearlescent? Spots, stripes? An Aeolid with a garnish of cerata, or a Dorid with a branchial plume? And don’t forget a pair of magnificent rhinophores and optional Emperor shrimp jockey!

Holy shit I’m really excited for you! And I’m not the one making the costume or going to the party!

In fact as an autistic person I’d just spend hours of fun making a costume, and then not go to the party… just wear it at home

You’ll have to post your outfit when it’s done 😀

Dammit! That’s a much better title…why didn’t I come up with that?

You’re welcome, also do checkout the other underwater photos he has, they’re full of beautiful things 👍

Lol, I left a lot of photos out too!

The sex lives of hermaphrodites is really interesting to read up on, I’ll probably do something similar on !invertebrates@mander.xyz…there’s loads of freaky creatures out there

Part 2 is going to be eggs, larvae and mini-nudis, but I’m off on holiday soon so maybe a 2 week or more wait, unless it rains a lot

Reverse cowboy and side saddle

…and on top of fornicating nudis, anything goes under the sea!

As it turns out: me! I want to see shrimps riding on Nudibranchs

Yay! There’s literally dozens of us!

And you’re welcome, it was nice to browse through some quality nudi pics 👍

[they] use the chloroplasts of the algae on which they feed, which they keep alive for hours to months after their ingestion…

Sacoglossans have been known to survive for months living solely on the photosynthetic products of their acquired plastids

Sacoglossans are able to choose which method of feeding they use. The switch from active feeding to photosynthesis in sacoglossans is triggered by the shortage of food resources, and typically not preferred

starvation periods (with photosynthesis and no active feeding) vary between species of sacoglossans from less than a week to over four months, and photosynthesis is used as a last-resort mechanism to avoid mortality

All from wikipedias page on sacoglassa…the whole process is fascinating and worthy of a post in itself, probably one for next week 👍

Yep, it’s probably why they were only discovered (relatively) recently and good photos are hard to find, unlike their bigger relations…Having said that I didn’t realise they’d be that tiny!

Some more photos…

Costasiella kuroshimae by Michaels Bubbles

Costasiella sp.4 photo by Randi Ang

Costasiella sp. by Thomas Vignaud

Group of Costasiella kuroshimae by divemecressi