Jen Strongin Photography

It is amazing what our brains hold on to and remember (and what they don’t!).

I didn’t even know that an amphipod that mimicked nudibranchs existed until pretty recently. I was floored that there was a crustacean whose appearance could take on the coloration of a nudibranch to deter predators. Nudibranchs are not delicious. They can also sometimes sting you. Who would want to eat that? Anyway- yeah.. these amphipods are pretty smart. And somehow, my brain filed that information away in a very accessible place.

So.. to my surprise, when I saw this tiny, bright orange and white creature and zoomed in with my camera.. I immediately knew what I was looking at. And I was STOKED.

I wish I could tell you more about them, but I haven’t found much information out there. You can see the tiny three lined aeolid that was hanging out nearby and how this amphipod was definitely channeling their form!

I think red trumpet tube worms might be one of my favorite photographic subjects. They are truly spectacular!