Researchers recently discovered the rare phenomenon of sea snail Niotha albescens living in symbiosis with Cytaeis capitata. This has only previously been recorded in the north of Sulawesi in Indonesia and at Kagoshima in Japan.

A large number of sea snails are found in the waters of Dongsha and the most commonly seen are Nassarius splendidulus, Niotha albescens and Zeuxis margaritifer. Recently researchers made a significant discovery: the rare phenomenon of sea snail Niotha albescens living in symbiosis with Cytaeis capitata jellyfish, with some of the jellyfish emitting a green fluorescence. A Niotha albescens less than 2cm wide was seen passing through the sediment on the bottom of the lagoon and in the tidal zone carrying a Cytaeis capitata jellyfish on its back, looking like it was wearing a feather coat, creating an amusing sight.

Qiu Yu-wen, assistant professor in the Faculty of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology of Kaohsiung Medical University pointed out that further investigation of the rare phenomenon of sea snail Niotha albescens living in symbiosis with Cytaeis capitata will be carried out.