'Unusual' Deep-Sea Jellyfish Species Discovered in Pacific Ocean's Midnight Zone

"These discoveries remind us that we still know so little about the ocean, the largest living space on Earth," said the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

Photo: MBARI

A recently discovered deep-sea jellyfish is leaving scientists stunned.

According to a video posted by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), the newly identified deep-sea jellyfish species — called Atolla reynoldsi — is part of the Atolla jellyfish family.

In their description of Atolla reynoldsi for the journal Animals, MBARI researchers shared that the new species was found in the depths of the ocean off the California coast and named after Jeff Reynolds, the Monterey Bay Aquarium's first volunteer, in recognition of his service.

The Atolla reynoldsi was found among other Atolla jellyfish, known for their scarlet color, but unlike its abundant relatives, the Atolla reynoldsi doesn't have a long, trailing tentacle.

"We realized that we had found an unusual jelly around 2014 and went back through our records to find a few additional observations," said MBARI senior education and research specialist George Matsumoto," per The Guardian.

"We also kept an eye out for additional sightings so that we could obtain specimens to examine and deposit at the California Academy of Sciences," he added.

Recently the MBRAI collected enough details about the "unusual" jellyfish to identify the Atolla reynoldsi as a new species in their paper for Animals.

The new species lives in the midnight zone of the ocean, the area about two to six miles below the ocean's surface where the only light is the bioluminescence produced by animals.

MBARI

MBRAI researchers see the discovery of this deep-sea species as a reminder of how much the scientific community has to learn about the depths of the ocean.

"These discoveries remind us that we still know so little about the ocean, the largest living space on Earth," MBARI shared in its video about jellyfish.

"The ocean is changing rapidly and the same threats that face coastal waters overfishing, plastic pollution, climate change, and habitat destruction — also extend to the depths below. We must document the diversity of life deep beneath the surface before it becomes lost forever."