Sealover - Blog Posts

Crystal Jellyfish

Aequorea victoria

The Crystal Jellyfish is a graceful, transparent jellyfish with long, thin tentacles. It has bioluminescent organs around it bell that produce a bright, green light. It tends to consume small copepods, but it has the ability to swallow other jellyfish half its size. Furthermore, this jelly is used in biological experiments to detect calcium.

Photo credit: https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/animals-a-to-z/crystal-jelly

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/5-aequorea-crystal-jellyfish-with-amphipods-alexander-semenovscience-photo-library.html

Sea Gooseberry

Pleurobrachia pileus

The Sea Gooseberry is a comb jelly or ctenophore that has two enormous tentacles covered with adhesive cells. When tiny crustaceans, eggs, and larvae brush against the tentacles, the prey are stuck to them. The Sea Gooseberry draws the tentacles to its mouth, and it consumes the prey. These unique organisms can be found as deep as 750 m. 

Wolftrap Angler

Thaumatichthys binghami

The Wolftrap Angler is slightly different from many other species of anglers. It has its bioluminescent lure located inside of its mouth instead of connected  to its body. Even though it is intimidating up close, it is only nine centimeters in size. It is found in the deep ocean at 2432m. 

Photo credit

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaumatichthys_binghami

https://igniteyourcuriosity.wordpress.com/2016/10/22/anglerfish/

Silky Medusa

Colobonema sericeum

The Silky Medusa is a gentle and reserved jellyfish; it has white-tipped tentacles that have the ability to detach from its body and bioluminescence when attacked by predators. It can be found drifting between 500 m to 1500 m. Furthermore, it consumes small crustaceans. 

Photo credit:  https://twitter.com/mbari_news/status/949736123760340994

https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/animals-a-to-z/midwater-jelly

Cigar Comb Jelly

beroe forskalii

The Cigar Comb Jelly is a gelatinous ctenophore that is marveled by many due to its sparkling bioluminescence. It tends to elegantly float around 120 m in the ocean. It uses unique, hair-like structures called ctens to move horizontally in the ocean. It also swims in a spiral pattern before consuming zooplankton in the ocean.

Photo credit: https://www.wrobelphoto.com/gelatinouszooplankton/h25347306

https://www.flickr.com/photos/a_migotto/27227530815

Lav Polyp

leuckartiara octona

The Lav Polypo is a jelly that comes in a variety of colors and shapes; it dwells about 200m in the deep ocean. The red mass inside its translucent bell is the jelly’s reproductive organs. Furthermore, it uses its dull, yellow tentacles can catch unsuspecting prey. 

Photo credit: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/65935582019848580/

https://www.petjellyfish.co.uk/shop/live-jellyfish/leuckartiara-octona

Black- eyed squid

Gonatus onyx

The Black-eyed Squid is roughly over one foot (35 am) and is found at depths as deep as 2500m. The female Black-eyed Squid works fiercely to protect her babies, by carrying around a patch of egg for six to nine months. When the eggs hatch, 2000 to 3000 babies are released into the ocean. However, this makes her vulnerable to predators. 

Photocredit: http://tolweb.org/Gonatus+onyx/19769