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NEXT UP: the aquatic assault of the OCEANIC CRAB & LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE against the mutualism with pugilism the CLOWN FISH & SEA ANENOME. #2019MMM
Our battle takes place in the home turf of the Crab and Loggerhead (AKA #CrabberHead), which tonight is going to be the Sargasso Sea, an area of still waters in the middle North Atlantic #2019MMM
The Sargasso sea the area surrounded by the great currents of the Atlantic (including the Gulf Stream) and is an area of relative calm, where flotsam such as Sargasso accumulates #2019MMM
It is in these warm calm seas that young loggerheads grow and feed on the rich macroalgal beds of Sargassum #2019MMM
And like a kid in a preschool they quickly develop two things 1) little buddies and 2) a suite of things growing on them #2019MMM
Here the crab comes in, while not actually friends with the turtle it does use the turtle as a place of refuge and source of food, feeding off things growing on the turtle or ahem "food particles expelled by host turtles." #2019MMM
Our other mutualism is from shallower waters: the anemone-clownfish coupling. These two are generally found in shallow tropical waters #2019MMM
In this team the anemone provides shelter for the fish because its tentacles are long and full of venom filled harpoon tips called cnidocytes #2019MMM
The fish, in turn, provides Nitrogen and Phosphorus to the anemone through excretion #2019MMM
(Sorry if anyone's eating dinner during this battle) #2019MMM
Our dynamic duo of the crab and turtle lazily circle around the clownfish and the anemone, closing in for an investigatory nibble/pinch #2019MMM
The clownfish, sensing danger, darts back into the safe refuge of the anemone. The anemone, however, having no means of propulsion itself starts sinking #2019MMM
Down the anenome sinks, leading to an existential crisis for the clownfish. Shallow water fish don't do well at the depths of the ocean, they need special adaptations to survive #2019MMM
At the same time, if the clownfish leaves its home it's exposed and from personal experience these things are extremely unwilling to stray even feet from their own anemone #2019MMM
Ironically, the anemone (because it basically is made of liquid) isn't as impacted by pressure and will probably be fine at depth #2019MMM
So the clown fish must choose to whether to leave its anenome companion and continue living, or to stay with its companion and face death within its stinging arms #2019MMM
In that moment, thinking of a life well-lived together, the bond is too strong, the clown fish swims towards its sinking anenome partner, towards the inky green depths and accepts its fate, in death as in life, together as one #2019MM
CRAB & SEA TURTLE DEFEATS CLOWN FISH & SEA ANENOME!!!! #2019MMM
