Bioluminescence - Blog Posts
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
Mid-water Arctic Hydrozoan
Botrynema brucei
The Mid-water Arctic Hydrozoan is a mini-jelly that is transparent with hints of blue. It thrives in freezing cold temperatures and drifts aimlessly in the Artic Ocean. Moreover, it is only 3 cm in size and floats between 900m to 2,600m.
Photo credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botrynema_brucei
http://www.arcodiv.org/watercolumn/cnidarian/Botrynema_brucei.html
Red Paper Lantern Medusa
Pandea rubra
The Red Paper Lantern resembles a floating, Japanese paper lantern in the deep sea. It has the ability to crumple and wrinkle its bright, red bell, and it is located at depths between 550m to 1200m. It has also been nicknamed the “origami jelly.”
Photo credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Pandea_rubra
http://www.thegorgeousdaily.com/pandea-rubra/
Psychedelic Medusa
Crossota millsae
The Psychedelic Medusa is a deep-sea hydrozoan that is abundant in the North Pacific. The mini-jelly is found at depths between 1000m to 3800m, and are often observed drifting near the ocean floor. It also has an eccentric reproduction behavior uncommon in cnidarians. The females display viviparity, and carry the babies in her bell until they are ready to hatch.
Photo credit: http://www.arcodiv.org/watercolumn/cnidarian/Crossota_millsae.html
https://twitter.com/spothvegr/status/1030177493075079169