Black jellyfish, strange marine species discovered in deep ocean
October 17, 2007
A 1-cm long larval squid, photographed through Russ Hopcroft's microscope.
This lovely red medusa, Atolla gigantea, about 15 cm in diameter, was collected in midwater by the ROV and photographed in the bigger kreisel. When a species like this is caught with a net, the soft gelatinous tissue is shredded by the net fabric or squashed by other captured animals and the tentacles are torn off. This beautiful red color is common among mesopelagic 'jellies' because it isn't visible in the perpetually dark water, yet it masks any bioluminescence emitted by prey inside the pigmented predator's gut.
A jellyfish in the genus Aequorea swims in the planktonkreisel. A bluewater scuba diver caught this 50 mm diameter medusa in a plastic jar and carried it back to the ship's lab for study.
Images and captions courtesy of 2007: Exploring the Inner Space of the Celebes Sea
The project, backed by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, National Geographic, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), used a remote-operated vehicle to survey the Celebes Sea -- the center of one of the most biologically diverse marine areas -- at a depth of more than 9,100 feet (2,750 m). More than two dozen scientists were involved in the project. A report is expected in November.
Dr. Larry Madin, chief scientist for the expedition, called the expedition a success.
"We had made the first use of a deep ROV in the Celebes Sea, and perhaps in all of the Philippines," he wrote on the expedition's blog. "We found fascinating animals, some familiar, some possibly new. We put together from all our samplers a pretty complete picture of the variety of zooplankton, fishes and benthic creatures of this area."
The researchers hope their findings will stimulate more extensive exploration and research in the region.
2007: Exploring the Inner Space of the Celebes Sea
Species discovery news
Photos of living gremlin discovered in Indonesia
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