23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Wildlife
The Hitchhiker

Argonauts are pelagic octopuses, that live in the open ocean. They are known to ride on jellyfish, using them as a form of transportation, potentially for protection or even to access food. It is unusual to see them attached to a live fish, like a pipefish in this picture taken during a blackwater dive.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 01.2025
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Anilao, Philippines
Camera: Canon EOS R5
Copyright: © Rajiv Bhambri