The association of argonauts with gelatinous plankton and other substrates.

Villanueva, Roger; Fernández‐Álvarez, Fernando Ángel; Gili, Josep‐Maria

This article discusses the association between argonauts, a group of octopods, and various substrates in the ocean. The study used images shared by recreational divers on social media to quantify the diversity of substrates used by argonauts for movement. The images showed that argonauts were attached to plastic waste, vegetal debris, and pelagic animals, with gelatinous plankton being the most abundant substrate. The study also observed accompanying fauna sharing the same substrate with the argonauts. The findings highlight the value of citizen science and the use of high-quality images obtained during blackwater dives for studying the behavior and interactions of oceanic pelagic organisms.

SCIENTIFIC knowledge; ONLINE social networks; NATURAL history; FISH larvae; ANIMAL migration; AMPHIPODA

Ecology, 2024, Vol 105, Issue 10, p1

0012-9658

Academic Journal

10.1002/ecy.4410