Ecosystem Connections
![Luke's head](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/marine-biology/dive-into-worlds-within-the-sea/boyhead-desktop/4234621-2-eng-US/boyhead-desktop_full_495.png 384w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/marine-biology/dive-into-worlds-within-the-sea/boyhead-desktop/4234621-2-eng-US/boyhead-desktop_full_990.png 384w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/marine-biology/dive-into-worlds-within-the-sea/boyhead-desktop/4234621-2-eng-US/boyhead-desktop_full_1468.png 384w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/marine-biology/dive-into-worlds-within-the-sea/boyhead-desktop/4234621-2-eng-US/boyhead-desktop_full_1980.png 384w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/marine-biology/dive-into-worlds-within-the-sea/boyhead-desktop/4234621-2-eng-US/boyhead-desktop_full_2475.png 384w)
Click on the
links below to see connections in this ecosystem.
As marine scientists discover new deep-sea creatures, they’ll learn how these and other species depend on each other.
![Deep sea scene](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/marine-biology/dive-into-worlds-within-the-sea/deep-sea/deep_sea_more/4261198-2-eng-US/deep_sea_more_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/marine-biology/dive-into-worlds-within-the-sea/deep-sea/deep_sea_more/4261198-2-eng-US/deep_sea_more_full_990.jpg 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/marine-biology/dive-into-worlds-within-the-sea/deep-sea/deep_sea_more/4261198-2-eng-US/deep_sea_more_full_1468.jpg 1468w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/marine-biology/dive-into-worlds-within-the-sea/deep-sea/deep_sea_more/4261198-2-eng-US/deep_sea_more_full_1980.jpg 1480w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/marine-biology/dive-into-worlds-within-the-sea/deep-sea/deep_sea_more/4261198-2-eng-US/deep_sea_more_full_2475.jpg 1480w)
The purple-reddish coloring on the body of the bloodybelly comb jelly hides the glowing bodies of the tunicates it eats.
The bloodybelly comb jelly is a swift swimmer. But one of its predators, the lantern fish, is often faster.
Tunicates gobble up sea snow. It’s a tasty mix of dead phytoplankton, algae, animals, and their nutrient-rich poop. Yum!
A lantern fish is a favorite “light lunch” for the cock-eyed squid.
If the cookie-cutter shark attaches itself to this squid, it’ll then twist to cut out a cookie-shaped chunk of flesh!
Snipe eels sweep their beaks through the water to catch sergestid shrimp.
The long, slender snipe eel is also part of the cookie-cutter shark’s diet.
Leatherback turtles feed on jellyfish and small fish, such as the lantern fish.
![Baaka girl's face](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/welcome-to-the-dzanga-sangha/baaka-girl-circle-mobile/4790222-1-eng-US/baaka-girl-circle-mobile_full_495.png 248w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/welcome-to-the-dzanga-sangha/baaka-girl-circle-mobile/4790222-1-eng-US/baaka-girl-circle-mobile_full_990.png 248w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/welcome-to-the-dzanga-sangha/baaka-girl-circle-mobile/4790222-1-eng-US/baaka-girl-circle-mobile_full_1468.png 248w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/welcome-to-the-dzanga-sangha/baaka-girl-circle-mobile/4790222-1-eng-US/baaka-girl-circle-mobile_full_1980.png 248w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/welcome-to-the-dzanga-sangha/baaka-girl-circle-mobile/4790222-1-eng-US/baaka-girl-circle-mobile_full_2475.png 248w)
As marine scientists discover new deep-sea creatures, they’ll learn how these and other species depend on each other.
Image Credits:
Wave pattern, created by Dmitry Kovalev from the Noun Project; Luke's photo, courtesy of Luke; Illustrations, AMNH / Sean Murtha.