Some may confuse this for CGI, but rest assured, the giant phantom jelly is real and was spotted by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute’s (MBARI) remotely operated vehicle (ROV) last month at a depth of 3,200-feet. When fully grown, the bell of this deep-sea creature can measure more than one meter (3.3 feet) across, complete with four ribbon-like arms that can grow more than 10 meters (33 feet) in length.
The first sample of this species was collected in 1899, and since then, it has only been encountered approximately 100-times. There is no specific region where they inhabit, as they have a worldwide distribution and has found in all ocean basins except for the Arctic. Thanks to the cameras on MBARI’s ROVs, which have allowed researchers to study these animals intact in their natural environment, trawl nets are not required.
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Researchers watched the brotula hover above the bell of its host and swim in and out of the jelly’s voluminous oral arms. The wide-open waters of the midnight zone offer little shelter, so many creatures find refuge in the gelatinous animals that are abundant in this environment,” said the MBARI team.
