Marine Researchers Capture Amazing Video Of The Mysterious Giant Phantom Jelly For The First Time
The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) has been studying the ocean floor for the past 34 years. Despite sending out thousands of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), this is only the ninth time they’ve stumbled upon this cagey crimson creature. One of the deep-water robots caught the giant phantom jellyfish on camera as it buzzed through the Monterey Bay twilight zone.
10 This rare creature was spotted in Monterey Bay last November 2021
The MBARI team used the ROV Doc Ricketts to spot this giant phantom jelly (Stygiomedusa gigantea) in November 2021 at a depth of 990 meters (3,200 feet) in Monterey Bay. Seeing a ghostly giant like this one is unusual. According to the institute’s findings, the researchers were using a remotely controlled submarine to explore the ocean floor off the coast of Monterey Bay, California, when they discovered the creature by the submarine.
Img Src: bbc.co.uk
9 These deep-sea creatures can grow to gigantic sizes
This deep-sea inhabitant has a bell that can grow to be more than 1-meter (3.3 feet) in diameter and four oral (or mouth) arms that can reach lengths of more than 10 meters (33 feet). The giant phantom jellyfish is remarkable not only for its size but also for its strange and captivating appearance and manner of movement. When compared to other esoteric deep-sea jellies, they are still relatively unusual. Its umbrella-shaped head, or bulbous bell, looks like it’s been lit from within like an orange candy. Even when viewed from above, the creature resembles a hat with undulating peaks and four drooping scarves.
Img Src: redd.it
8 There have been very few sightings of these mysterious creatures
The ROVs at MBARI have made thousands of dives but have only managed to capture this spectacular species nine times. In 1899, scientists brought home their first specimen of the massive phantom jelly. Since then, researchers have only seen this species a couple of times.
Img Src: mbari.org
7 They are found in all oceans except the Arctic
It has been documented in every ocean basin apart from the Arctic, suggesting it has a global distribution. However, the difficulty of getting to its deepwater habitat reduces the number of confirmed sightings of this massive, widely dispersed species. Even though this species is believed to inhabit all oceans outside of the Arctic, the giant phantom jelly had only been formally spotted 110 times by 2009.
Img Src: twimg.com
