First record of an association between a phyllosoma larva and a Prayid siphonophore

Abstract

A scyllarid lobster phyllosoma larva was observed attached to the siphosome of a prayid siphonophore while SCUBA diving in the Canary Islands. The phyllosoma was straddling the siphosome, which was still alive, with one pereiopodal endopodite per siphosomal cormidia and used its pereiopodal exopodites to pull the siphosome through the water. It did not detach, even after repeated disturbances, and it is proposed that the phyllosoma may be using the prayid siphosome as both food and for protection from predators.