The symbiotic relationship between blind shrimp and the goby fish, with a commentary on irreducible complexity

 

INTRODUCTION

Advocates of the concept of irreducible complexity in the natural world have identified the symbiotic relationship between the blind shrimp and the goby fish as incapable of having naturally evolved. (Smith, 2012) (VonVett, Malone 2017) An irreducibly complex system is most commonly identified as "A system...(that) includes a set of well-matched, mutually interacting, non arbitrarily (sic.) individuated parts such that each part in the set is indispensable to maintaining the system's basic, and therefore original, function." (Footnote 1) (Rusbult, 2002) The concept can be summarized as the idea that certain biological and natural systems / organisms are so intricately complex that there is no conceivable method by which those systems or organisms could have arisen by natural or evolutionary means. Allegedly, such phenomenon is reportedly visible within the symbiotic relationship between the goby fish and the blind shrimp. This relationship is alleged to have been programmed into them by their Creator from the very beginning of their existence. This paper examines such a claim in light of what is known about symbiotic relationships among organisms as they are observed in nature.

ANALYSIS

Several species of goby fish and blind shrimp have developed mutualistic symbiotic relationships in nature, such as the yellow watchman goby and the tiger pistol shrimp. (Symbiotic Relationships in the Natural Environment, 2015) The goby guides the blind shrimp around the ocean floor when it leaves its burrows in search of algae that grow near the front of those burrows and will warn the shrimp if danger approaches as it dines on the small animals that are revealed by the shrimp's shifting and burrowing in the sand. While every step of this relationship is not fully articulated in regards to evolutionary theory due to the difficulty of observing these creatures in action in nature, this doesn't mean that we don't understand how such a relationship arose. (Deurbaum, 2019)

Mutualistic symbiosis is a kind of relationship in nature where two organisms benefit from each other's behavior toward one another (in contrast to parasitism or commensalism). These types of relationships emerge when two organisms are more likely to survive and bear offspring than those who do not. (Palmer et al., 2021) (Ramirez, Calkins 2014) This is in essence the definition of evolution by natural selection, where the shrimp that did not associate with the gobies for protection were less likely to survive, and the gobies that did not associate with the shrimp for easier food access were less efficient and equally less likely to survive. The benefits of their mutual relationship led to greater odds of surviving, and thus allowed them to pass on their inclination to cooperate. This is the process which drives all symbiotic relationships in nature, arising naturally between organisms which had no prior relationship. (Dimijian, 2000) (Fukui, 2014)

This case also produces several contradictions to the young earth creationist narrative as a whole, where, even if the relationship between the two organisms mentioned were irreducibly complex, it still means that predation and death were part of creation from the beginning. (Edmonds, 2022)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Deurbaum, J. (2021, March 18) The Symbiotic Relationship Between Gobies and Pistol Shrimp. Chewy Editorial. LINK.

Dimijian, G. G. (2000) Evolving together: the biology of symbiosis, part 1. Baylor University Medical Proceedings 13(3), 217-226. LINK.

Edmonds, N. J. (2022, September 10) Irreducible complexity, "creation ecology", and the predator-prey relationship between California ground squirrels and rattlesnakes. The Collectio Project. LINK.

Fukui, S. (2014) Evolution of symbiosis with resource allocation from fecundity to survival. Naturwissenschaften, 101(5), 437-446. LINK.

Palmer, J. et al. (2021, May 12) When two become one. Understanding Evolution. LINK.

Ramirez, S., Calkins, J. (2014) Phylogeny: The Evolutionary History of the Behavior. Reed College. LINK.

Rusbult, C. (2002) Irreducible Complexity: Definition & Evaluation. The American Scientific Affiliation. LINK.

Smith, C. (2012, April 17) Pistol packing...Shrimp?! Watch out for this little guy! Creation Ministries International. LINK.

Symbiotic Relationships in the Natural Environment (2015, March 26) The Goby and Pistol shrimp...Nature's guide dog. Blogger. LINK.

VonVett, J., Malone, B. (2017) Have You Considered? Evidence Beyond a Reasonable Doubt. Search for Truth Pub. LINK.

FOOTNOTES

Footnote 1 - It may be noted that several similar or varyingly articulated definitions of the concept exist. For more, see:

- Center for Science and Culture. (2006, April 7) How to Explain Irreducible Complexity: A Lab Manual. The Discovery Institute. LINK.

- Intelligent Design and Evolution Awareness. (2004) Irreducible Complexity: The Challenge to the Darwinian Evolutionary Explanations of many Biochemical Structures. LINK.

- Luskin, C. (2004) Evolution and the Problem of Non-Functional Intermediates: Evolution's Fundamental Flaw. Intelligent Design and Evolution Awareness Center. LINK.