IN SPRING, upwelling currents bring deep seawater close to the surface near the Japanese coast, carrying strange life forms rarely seen by humans. Underwater photographer Kei Nomiyama has been snapping these weird characters around Omi Island at night since 2010.
The top photo is a phyllosoma, the larva of a spiny or slipper lobster, hitching a ride on a jellyfish. Phyllosomas feed on jellyfish, starting with the tentacles. They rest occasionally but remain clinging to the jellyfish’s “umbrella” until they have consumed the entire body. They can even eat highly venomous species such as Portuguese man-of-war without coming to harm, though no one knows how they evolved to tolerate the venom. They also sometimes ride on large jellyfish without eating them, to save energy while getting around. Later in life, they settle down on the sea floor to become hard-shelled adults.
The photo above is a juvenile flounder of the genus Engyprosopon. Late in its larval development, the right eye moves to the left side of its head as it prepares for its adult lifestyle, lying on its side on the seabed.
The spotty creature is another phyllosoma, with red spots made up of pigment-containing cells called chromatophores
(Images: Kei Nomiyama/REX Shutterstock)
This article appeared in print under the headline “Creatures of the night”
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