Walking sponge!!

Day 1, wandering the intertidal area near CEDO. I turned over a rock and found a really unique looking sponge. As I have never seen one before i began taking photos and was completely caught off guard when it started walking!!! This actually turned out to be a species of crab that uniquely had a sponge attached to its shell which was growing successfully! Because the sponge and the crab both require similar environmental conditions this symbiosis is effectively providing the crab with a near perfect camouflage, while providing the sponge the unusual ability to move and remain in a wet location where it can collect food and prevent itself from absorbing too much air. As a sessile filter feeder this is not an ability it is typically afforded, providing an increased chance of survival in the intertidal zone where seawater is not always available. Super neat.