A live fish got caught inside the jellyfish and an ocean photographer was there to capture that one-in-a-million shot.
Tim Samuel was out in an adventure at Pass Beach in Byron Bay, New South Wales snorkeling when he sighted the trapped fish. Despite having trouble with focusing on the small fish, Samuel was able to snap evidence of the fish's predicament.
"My first impressions were amazement as I had never seen anything like it before," said Samuel. "I contemplated freeing the fish as I felt bad for it, but in the end decided to just let nature run its course, which was a difficult decision for me to make."
A photo posted by Tim Samuel (@timsamuelphotography) on Jun 7, 2016 at 1:13am PDT
According to University of Queensland Centre for Marine Science associate professor and marine biologist Ian Tibbets, Samuel did the right decision. Tibbets suggested that the trapped fish is most likely a juvenile trevally.
Juvenile trevally is a type of golden trevally distinguished for its bright golden yellow color that spans to their fins. They have black vertical crossbars that cover their body, which fade or disappear as the fish ages. These types of trevally can be found in small schools as an adult or as a solitary fish, like how Samuel spotted the trapped fish.
Juveniles are also known for their behavior of following bigger fishes like sharks, groupers and also jellyfish as a means of protection. In this case, Tibbets said, the fish may have used the jellyfish stinger as its shelter or protection from an unseen predator. But, it should not really be inside the jellyfish, which Tibbets said is a cubomedusan or a box jellyfish, known for its deadly sting.
"Although by the photographer's description of the fish swimming, my guess is that it is probably quite happy to be protected in there," said Tibbets.
Protecting Marine Life
The New South Wales government has designated Pass Beach, where the fish was photographed, as a sanctuary zone that prohibits all forms of fishing. This is the reason the area is teeming with marine life. Samuel was also able to capture images of turtles in the area.
Photographs like what Samuel captured show that there is still so much to see and discover under the vast ocean. Just recently, a deep-sea dive mission under the Mariana Trench revealed an "alien-fish" and other marine animals.
Truly nature has a lot of amazing things to show.
