Symbiotic Meiofauna from Okinawa, Japan

The coral sediments off the coast of Okinawa contain a variety of hidden life forms, some of which appear a mysterious snowy white, like ghosts in the sand. These are animals that contain symbiotic bacteria, which they grow and harvest for food.

In this video we highlight some of the main groups of symbiotic animals that live in this habitat. The species here are from Okinawa Island, but similar animals are found in coastal habitats around the world.

Thanks to the team at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Marine Science Station (OMSS) for hosting and supporting our visit in November 2017. The field work was performed together with Yui Sato, and supported by Nicole Dubilier, based at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology.

Video content should be credited to Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology.