Did you know that a group of jellyfish can be called a bloom, a swarm, or a smack? Despite the word “fish” in their names, jellyfish are not actually fish. No bones about it, they are invertebrates! Besides their lack of bones, jellyfish also lack a brain. Instead, they have a network of nerves, but no central nervous system. When feeding, jellyfish use their tentacles to sting their prey – they eat plankton. But what eats a jellyfish? Many animals do, including tunas, sharks, turtles, and humans!
In honor of World Jellyfish Day, November 3, NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research has compiled a few of our jellyfish greatest hits from deep-ocean exploration expeditions in the Pacific. You can also check out other jellyfish from expeditions all around the globe in this mission log.
Dive 06: Midwater Journey Video courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Mountains in the Deep: Exploring the Central Pacific Basin. Download (mp4, 24.9 MB)
Jellies make their home in the water column – one of the largest, yet least understood, biomes on Earth. On May 6, 2017, after finishing exploration of the seafloor, the team encountered several jellyfish during series of midwater transects from 1,400 to 300 meters (~4,595 to 985 feet). The dive took place in the Jarvis Unit of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, which is one of the few units of the monument where the water column is protected in addition to the seafloor.
This jelly (hydromedusa) is in a family of hydromedusae called Rhopalonematidae, which is known for the canals running vertically on the inside of the bell, gonads attached to these canals, and sometimes having two sets of tentacles. Scientists have seen this species on previous Okeanos Explorer expeditions. In this video, you can see the perfectly relaxed arrangement of the two sets of tentacles; scientists think this is a position that allows for optimum feeding in the midwater environment at ~3,000 meters. Through remotely operated vehicle video observations such as this, we can learn much about the animals in the midwater and what they are up to when we can catch them in an undisturbed manner. Video courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, 2017 American Samoa. Download (mp4, 18.2 MB)
This spectacular little jelly was imaged during the first dive of the 2017 American Samoa Expedition: Suesuega o le Moana o Amerika Samoa expedition on 'Utu' seamount, on February 21, 2017.
This beautiful ctenophore was seen in the water column while exploring Vailulu'u seamount. Rows of cilia moving in waves refract light to create rainbow-like patterns as the animal moves through the water. Video courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, 2017 American Samoa. Download (mp4, 24.8 MB)
This beautiful comb jelly, or ctenophore, was seen in the water column while exploring Vailulu'u seamount during the 2017 American Samoa Expedition: Suesuega o le Moana o Amerika Samoa expedition. Rows of cilia moving in waves refract light to create rainbow-like patterns as the animal moves through the water.
An unusual jelleyfish noted about halfway through Dive 05 at Deep Twin Ridge. Video courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, 2015 Hohonu Moana. Download (mp4, 27.0 MB).
This "jet propulsion" jelly was recently found at Deep Twin Ridge in the Pacific.
This beautiful comb jelly, or ctenophore, was seen in the water column while exploring Vailulu'u seamount during the 2017 American Samoa Expedition: Suesuega o le Moana o Amerika Samoa expedition. Rows of cilia moving in waves refract light to create rainbow-like patterns as the animal moves through the water.
While much of the Deep Discoverer's time is spent traversing and collecting imagery of the seafloor, we do occassionally catch glimpses of animals in the water column. The water column is a vast, not-well-understood habitat — another frontier to explore. Video courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Deepwater Wonders of Wake. Download (mp4, 69.6 MB).
This coronate jelly was seen north of Pioneer Bank in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
This stunningly beautiful jellyfish was seen during Dive 4 on April 24, 2016, while exploring the informally named "Enigma Seamount" at a depth of ~3,700 meters. Video courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, 2016 Deepwater Exploration of the Marianas. Download (mp4, 48.8 MB)
This jelly, found on a recent dive at a site informally called “Enigma Seamount” in the Pacific, might not look real – but it is!
This unidentified jellyfish is seen floating through the water column, before quickly retracting its tentacles and swimming away. Video courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, 2014 Hohonu Moana. Download (mp4, 20.3 GB).
This unidentified jelly found in the water column while exploring the Marianas, the region with the deepest place in the ocean, is capable of amazing escapes.
This red jelly was seen dancing through the water column during exploration of a guyot located approximately 70 miles southwest of Wake Island at a depth of approximately 1,260 meters. Video courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Deepwater Wonders of Wake. Download (mp4, 82.9 MB).
This “spaceship jelly” was found on a recent expedition to Wake Island in the Pacific.
Happy World Jellyfish Day – 2019 Southeastern U.S. Deep-sea Exploration
Deep-Sea Symphony: Exploring the Musicians Seamounts
2017 Laulima O Ka Moana: Exploring Deep Monument Waters Around Johnston Atoll
Mountains in the Deep: Exploring the Central Pacific Basin
Discovering the Deep: Exploring Remote Pacific Marine Protected Areas
2017 American Samoa Expedition: Suesuega o le Moana o Amerika Samoa