Original subtitles

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NARRATOR: WHEN YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL, YOU KNOW YOU'RE

WATCHING TELEVISION THAT IS EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL.

THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: HI, EVERYONE, I'M DYLAN DREYER AND IT'S TIME FOR AN

INCREDIBLE ADVENTURE ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE'RE DIVING INTO THE SHELLED SEAFARERS

KNOWN AS CRUSTACEANS.

WE'LL SEE HOW THESE CREEPY-CRAWLERS USE ALMOST

ANYTHING TO BLEND IN.

LATER, CREATING NEW LIFE MEANS LEAVING YOUR OLD LIFE,

OR SHELL, BEHIND.

AND FIND OUT HOW THIS CLUSTER OF CREATURES IS REALLY A THRIVING

FAMILY UNIT.

BUT FIRST, WE LOOK AT A GROUP THAT ARE EXPERTS IN LETTING

OTHERS CARRY THE LOAD.

ALL OF THIS AND MORE ON TODAY'S EPISODE OF "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THERE ARE A MYRIAD OF WAYS ANIMALS THRIVE

IN THE OCEAN.

THE WATERY DEPTHS ARE TEEMING WITH UNIQUE ENVIRONMENTS THAT

ALLOW ANIMALS TO PLAY TO THEIR STRENGTHS.

CRUSTACEANS UTILIZE IMPRESSIVE SKILLS TO ENSURE THEIR SURVIVAL.

AND THERE'S ONE TYPE OF CRUSTACEAN THAT RELIES ON

SOMEONE ELSE TO DO THE WORK FOR THEM.

PARASITES.

EACH PARASITE SPECIES HAS A VERY SPECIAL WAY OF FEEDING.

ATTACHED TO THE FISH'S BACK, THIS PARASITE LIVES OFF IT, BUT

THE FISH DOES NOT BENEFIT IN ANY WAY.

IN MOST CASES, THE PARASITE IS EVEN HARMFUL TO IT.

UNLIKE MORE TYPICAL PREDATORS, IT IS NOT TO THE PARASITE'S

ADVANTAGE TO KILL ITS HOST, BECAUSE IT COULD DIE WITH IT.

EASY TO OBSERVE, EXTERNAL PARASITES SUCK FISHES BLOOD.

TO ATTACH THEMSELVES TO FISH, THEY HAVE APPENDAGES

ENDING IN HOOKS.

PARASITES ARE DEMANDING, NEEDING NEAR PERFECT CONDITIONS TO

SUCCESSFULLY LIVE ON THEIR HOSTS.

SCIENTISTS AGREE THAT ALL FORMS OF PARASITE EVOLVED FROM ANIMALS

THAT WERE INITIALLY INDEPENDENT, CAPABLE OF SURVIVING

ON THEIR OWN.

THESE DAYS, THEY CERTAINLY PREFER THE COMPANY OF OTHERS,

EVEN IF THEY WEREN'T INVITED.

THESE CLINGY CREATURES ARE SO WELL ADAPTED TO THIS NEW WAY OF

LIFE, THEY'VE LET THEIR ORGANS REGRESS.

IF YOU AREN'T GONNA USE IT, LOSE IT.

WE ARE WHAT WE EAT.

THIS WELL-KNOWN SAYING CERTAINLY APPLIES TO SOME CRUSTACEANS.

SHRIMPS LIVING IN CRINOIDS CHANGE COLOR BY FEEDING ON THEIR

HOST'S MUCOUS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE SHRIMP'S COLOR CHANGES ACCORDING TO THE

CRINOID'S COLOR.

THIS ABILITY TO CHANGE COLOR ENABLES THEM TO BLEND IN WITH

THIS LIVING DECOR AND GO UNNOTICED.

LIKE ALL MARINE ANIMALS, CRUSTACEANS ARE BOTH PREDATORS

AND PREY.

THEY ARE THE FAVORITE DISH OF MANY SPECIES.

THE PROBLEM IS ALWAYS THE SAME; EAT WITHOUT BEING EATEN.

SMALL AND LARGE CRUSTACEANS ALL HAVE PREDATORS.

INSTINCTIVELY, THEY ALL EXPERIENCE THE SAME FRIGHT.

AMONG THEIR PREDATORS, MANY MARINE ANIMALS SEARCH THE SAND

AND CATCH THE SMALL CRUSTACEANS, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE

WELL-HIDDEN.

THE SMALLEST SPECIES OFTEN ENDING UP PAYING.

DANGER IS EVERYWHERE.

[ADVENTUROUS MUSIC]

DYLAN: HUNTING USUALLY TAKES PLACE AT NIGHT.

THIS CRUSTACEAN HAS NO CHANCE AGAINST THIS MORAY EEL THAT'S

JUST SPOTTED IT.

[CONTINUING ADVENTUROUS MUSIC]

DYLAN: IT'S THE LAW OF THE WILD ON WHICH THE GOOD FUNCTIONING OF

THE FOOD CHAIN DEPENDS.

TO NOT BE EATEN, YOU HAVE TO AVOID BEING SEEN AT ALL COSTS.

WHILE KEEPING AN EYE ON THE PREDATOR, SOME SHRIMPS BURY

THEMSELVES IN THE SAND.

PISTOL SHRIMPS BUILD AND TEND VERY STRONG BURROWS.

THIS VERY BUSY SHRIMP IS CLEARING AN INCREDIBLE QUANTITY

OF SAND AT A FRENETIC PACE.

OTHERS HOUSE-SHARE.

WHAT A MYSTERIOUS COUPLE THE GOBY AND SHRIMP MAKE.

IN FACT, THEY HAVE A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP.

THEY SHARE THEIR HOME AND DO THINGS FOR EACH OTHER,

ACCORDING TO THEIR ABILITIES.

THIS SITUATION IS MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL FOR THE BLIND SHRIMP

AND THE GOBY, WHICH IS INCAPABLE OF BUILDING A SHELTER.

TOGETHER, THEY FORM A FORMIDABLE DEFENSE AGAINST AN

OCEAN OF DANGER.

COMING UP, WE GET A CLOSE-UP LOOK AT THE OCEAN'S MOST

CONVINCING CAMOUFLAGE.

AND ALONG THE OCEAN FLOOR, SHEDDING YOUR SKIN IS A POPULAR

WAY TO GET NOTICED.

PLUS, A SKELETAL SWIMMER THAT'S TIED UP IN ITS TIDAL HOME.

THIS AND MORE WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY" RETURNS.

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: TO SURVIVE AND ESCAPE PREDATORS, SOME CRUSTACEANS HAVE

PERFECTED CLOSE PROTECTION TECHNIQUES.

AND SO, LIKE THE WELL-KNOWN CLOWNFISH, THIS TINY TRANSPARENT

SHRIMP, OR THE ANEMONE PARTNER SHRIMP, HAS FOUND REFUGE IN THE

ANEMONE'S STINGING ARMS.

OTHERS HAVE CHOSEN MOBILE HOMES, LIKE THESE COLEMAN SHRIMPS THAT

LOOK PRETTY COMFY IN THIS FIRE URCHIN.

THEY MOVE ABOUT SAFELY, SHIELDED BY THE PRICKLES, AND FEED

ON THE SPOT.

AND SO, IN EXCHANGE FOR THEIR CLEANING SERVICES, THEY ENJOY

FREE TRAVEL AND LODGING AND LIVE UNDISTURBED.

AS FOR THE SPIDER CRABS, THEY USE DIFFERENT

SURVIVAL TECHNIQUES.

THAT'S THE CASE WITH THESE CRABS THAT DON'T HESITATE TO CHANGE

APPEARANCE TO DISGUISE THEMSELVES.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BUT IS DISGUISE THE RIGHT WORD, WHEN IT'S A QUESTION

OF GRAFTS, OR TRANSPLANTS ON YOUR OWN BODY?

WHITE OR PINKISH IN COLOR, THESE UNQUESTIONABLY ELEGANT AND

GRACEFUL CRABS OWE THEIR FEATHERY APPEARANCE TO ANEMONES

ON THEIR BODIES.

CAMOUFLAGED LIVING TAKES MANY AND VARIED FORMS.

THIS IMPOSING FIGURE HAS DIFFERENT TYPES OF ANEMONES

GRAFTED ALL OVER ITS BODY.

GIVING FREE REIGN TO THEIR IMAGINATION, EACH CRAB DEVELOPS

A TOTALLY WILD LOOK.

SOME APPEAR TO BE WEARING HATS, EACH MORE EXTRAVAGANT

THAN THE LAST.

AND ALWAYS PRECARIOUSLY BALANCED.

IN THE BLOOMING CATEGORY, THIS CLUMP OF WAVING ALGAE CRAB WOULD

DEFINITELY WIN THE PRIZE FOR HUMOR.

AND WHAT ABOUT THESE POWERFUL TANKS IN ACTION?

THAT YOU ONLY NOTICE WHEN THEY MOVE.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: TO HIDE FROM VIEW AND NOT TO BE

SEEN BY THEIR PREDATORS,

OTHER TINY CRABS HAVE CHOSEN TO DRESS LIKE THEIR HOSTS.

LIKE GARDENERS, THEY GROW GORGONIAN CORALS, OR POLYP

CORALS, ON THEIR SHELLS.

THESE TRANSPLANTED ANIMALS HIDE AND PROTECT THEM BECAUSE VERY

OFTEN THEY HAVE STINGING PARTS.

OTHERS LOOK SO MUCH LIKE THEIR HOST THAT YOU CAN ONLY SPOT THEM

WHEN THEY MOVE.

LIKE THIS ALGAE CRAB, THAT IS AS GREEN AS THE PLANT

ON WHICH IT LIVES.

THE STAR ATTRACTION THOUGH, REMAINS THE BOXER CRAB.

THIS TINY SHOW-OFF IS SMART AND INVENTIVE.

IT USES A CHEAT'S TECHNIQUE.

IT GRAFTS STINGING ANEMONES TO THE END OF ITS PINCERS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ARMED WITH THIS PROTECTION, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S

BOXING WITH ITS WIRY LITTLE ARMS.

WHEN WE RETURN, IT'S MOLTING SEASON, AND A NEW LOOK MEANS A

NEW CHANCE AT FINDING A MATE.

AND LATER, ONE SHRIMP SPECIES THAT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE TYING

THE KNOT.

COMING UP ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: CRUSTACEANS ARE EXTREMELY CRAFTY CHARACTERS.

THEIR ABILITY TO USE THEIR ENVIRONMENT, AND EVEN THE

ANIMALS LIVING ALONG SIDE THEM AS

A FORM OF PROTECTION IS IMPRESSIVE.

MANY CRUSTACEANS USE TECHNIQUES THAT ARE COMMON AMONG MANY OTHER

SPECIES, BUT THEY ARE EFFECTIVE AS EVER ON THE OCEAN FLOOR.

WHILE SOME CRUSTACEANS USE CAMOUFLAGE, OTHERS USE A MORE

STRAIGHT-FORWARD APPROACH TO PROTECTION.

HIDING IN A SHELTER.

SOME, LIKE THESE MUD SHRIMPS, SYSTEMATICALLY TAKING COVER.

EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE SHELLS, THEY TEND TO HIDE IN CRACKS IN

THE ROCK, SPONGES, OR LIKE HERE IN BITS OF WOOD.

LIFE SEEMS PRETTY EVENTFUL IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND FIGHTS

ARE COMMON.

OTHER TINY CREATURES HAVE CHOSEN A NOMADIC LIFE ON THE BACKS OF

SEA CUCUMBERS.

THIS CRAB, WHICH IS JUST 2 INCHES WIDE, WITHDRAWS INTO ITS

HOST WHEN IT FEELS THREATENED.

IT SHARES THIS SHELTER WITH THESE EMPEROR SHRIMPS.

BY OBSERVING THEIR WAY OF LIFE, IT'S EVIDENT THAT MANY

CRUSTACEANS HAVE PERFECTED UNUSUAL, SOPHISTICATED AND

PRETTY UNIQUE TECHNIQUES FOR SURVIVING IN HOSTILE CONDITIONS.

ALL THESE METHODS HAVE THE SAME OBJECTIVE, TO LIVE IN ORDER TO

REPRODUCE, AND THUS PERPETUATE THE SPECIES.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: MAINLY OVIPAROUS, OR EGG-LAYING CRUSTACEANS, HAVE

SEPARATE GENDERS.

REPRODUCTION IS ALWAYS BETWEEN 2 PARTNERS AND JUST AFTER MOLTING,

WHEN THE SHELL IS STILL SOFT.

DURING INCUBATION, THE FEMALE CARRIES THE EGGS.

INVISIBLE IN CRABS, THEY ARE EASIER TO SEE IN

THE GHOST SHRIMP.

FOR ALL TO SEE, THE THOUSANDS OF EGGS OF THE BRIGHTLY COLORED

MANTIS SHRIMP ARE GATHERED IN A BALL IN FRONT OF ITS MOUTH AND

BETWEEN ITS LEGS.

THE TIMING OF HATCHING VARIES WITH THE SPECIES.

IT TAKES PLACE BETWEEN 1 AND 3 WEEKS AFTER EGG LAYING.

ONCE HATCHED, CRUSTACEANS PASS THROUGH LARVAL STAGES AND

UNDERGO MANY CHANGES.

LARVAE ARE PART OF ANIMAL PLANKTON.

THEY ARE CARRIED BY THE CURRENT AND SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE

WORLD'S SEAS AND OCEANS.

FEW LARVAE SURVIVE BECAUSE THEY ARE A SOURCE OF FOOD FOR MANY

MARINE ANIMALS.

THEY ARE SO SMALL THAT IT'S HARD TO SEE THEM BEING EATEN.

ONLY THE PREDATORS' MOVEMENTS INDICATE THEIR PRESENCE.

HERE THE CHARACTERISTIC SWINGING OF THE PIPEFISH'S HEAD

ACCOMPANYING THE HUNT, ATTESTS TO THIS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: CRUSTACEANS PREYING ON OTHER CRUSTACEANS ISN'T

UNHEARD OF.

THIS TOZEUMA SHRIMP IS HEAVILY NIBBLING ON TINY

PLANKTON LARVAE.

ATTACHED ANIMALS LOVE THEM TOO, AND GRAB THEM AS THEY PASS.

WHEN WE LOOK EXTREMELY CLOSELY, YOU CAN SEE THE HORDES OF TINY

CRUSTACEANS HOLDING ONTO SURVIVAL, IN THE HOPES OF

BECOMING A THRIVING ADULT.

COMING UP NEXT, WHAT LOOKS LIKE A TANGLED WEB IS ACTUALLY A

THRIVING CREATURE OF THE DEEP.

THIS AND MORE WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY" RETURNS.

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THESE HYPERACTIVE LITTLE CRUSTACEANS LOOK LIKE A MASS OF

TANGLED THREADS, A LIVING CLUSTER.

IF WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK, WE CAN SEE IT'S A SKELETON SHRIMP, WITH

A WHOLE BROOD CLINGING TO IT.

THESE TINY BABIES ARE WRIGGLING ALL OVER THE PLACE.

AFTER THE MALES FERTILIZE THE EGGS, THE FEMALES CARRY THESE

BABY SHRIMP THROUGH TO BIRTH.

AND AS THERE IS NO LARVAL STAGE IN SKELETON SHRIMPS, IT IS VERY

LIKELY THAT THESE MINI-CREATURES HAVE JUST BEEN BORN.

LIKE MANY OTHER CRUSTACEANS, SKELETON SHRIMPS ARE MINISCULE,

BUT NO LESS CAPTIVATING.

IN THE LAND OF LILLIPUTIANS THERE ARE REALLY TINY CREATURES,

LIKE THIS MINI-CRAB, LOST AMONG THE GRAINS OF SAND, WHICH WE CAN

ONLY SEE BECAUSE IT IS MOVING ITS EYES.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: BARELY BIGGER, THIS ONE EXTRICATES ITSELF EASILY, AND

ELEGANTLY FROM ITS HIDING PLACE.

WHICH IT HURRIES BACK INTO, PROBABLY FRIGHTENED BY THE NOISE

OF THE WORLD OUTSIDE.

THIS CRAB, HIDING IN THE CORAL, SEEMS VERY AT EASE IN THIS

NARROW SHELTER AND GOES ABOUT ITS BUSINESS WITHOUT FEAR.

NOT MUCH BIGGER THAN THE POLYPS OF ITS OCEAN PLAYPEN, THIS TINY

CRAB MOVES PEACEFULLY AROUND ITS HOME.

IT CONTORTS ITSELF, CUTS A PATH, AND MAKES ITS WAY TO ITS SOURCE

OF FOOD.

IN THIS OTHER SEA RESIDENCE, EXPOSED TO THE CURRENT IN A

PLANKTON RICH ENVIRONMENT, THIS UPSIDE-DOWN LITTLE CRAB, IN A

RATHER ACROBATIC POSE, GRABS ALL THE FOOD WITHIN ITS REACH.

JUST LIKE A JUGGLER, NOTHING DISTRACTS IT.

EACH CREATURE HAS ADAPTED TO ITS SIZE AND LIFE AS A

DWARF CRUSTACEAN.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: CRUSTACEANS, LIKE MANY OTHER ANIMAL SPECIES, ATTACH A

GOOD DEAL OF IMPORTANCE TO THEIR APPEARANCE.

THE ABDOMEN OF THIS PRETTY AMBER SHRIMP, ADORNED WITH WHITE

ARABESQUES, IS ALMOST VERTICAL IN RELATION TO THE REST OF

ITS BODY.

LIKE A SEDUCTION DANCE, IT SWINGS IT CONSTANTLY TO ATTRACT

A MATE.

ADULT FEMALES ARE ALMOST TWICE AS LARGE AS MALES.

THIS SHRIMP USUALLY LIVES IN GROUPS, SOMETIMES OF 6 TO 8

INDIVIDUALS, ALL AMONG THE TENTACLES OF ANEMONE.

SHOWING THEIR BEAUTY, CONFIDENCE AND CUNNING FOR ALL TO SEE.

THE WAY EACH ANIMAL THRIVES IN THE WILD IS ENTIRELY

UNIQUE TO THEM.

BUT CRUSTACEANS TAKE THEIR INDIVIDUALITY TO EXTREMES.

ADAPTING, AND EVEN BECOMING A PART OF THEIR ENVIRONMENT, HAS

ENSURED THEIR SURVIVAL FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS, AND DOESN'T

APPEAR TO BE STOPPING ANYTIME SOON.

THANK YOU FOR JUMPING IN WITH US TO EXPLORE THE WORLD OF

CRUSTACEANS.

I HOPE TO SEE YOU FOR ANOTHER ADVENTURE ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]