Giant Isopod

An amazing glowing ctenophore!

Bloody-belly comb jelly

Lampocteis cruentiventer

The Bloody-belly is a 16 cm ctenophore that is found at depths 700 m to 1200m. It is crimson red in color and appears black in the deep ocean. However, the jelly has the ability to emit a different color. Furthermore, it uses highly iridescent ctenes to propel through the water. 

Photo credit:  https://laughingsquid.com/bloody-belly-comb-jelly/

https://www.reddit.com/r/deepseacreatures/comments/2j1717/bloodbelly_comb_jelly_lampocteis_cruentiventer/

Atolla Jelly

Atolla wyvillei

The Atolla Jelly is a fiery, red jellyfish that has an extraordinary display of bioluminescence. When the jelly is attacked, it uses bioluminescence to produce thousands of vibrant, blue flashes; the blue flashes act as an alarm, which draws in bigger predators and warns prey. The jelly can be found at depths between 600 m to 1500m, and it also has a long  hypertrophied tentacle that aids in reproduction. 

Photo credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atolla_jellyfish

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

Glowing sucker octopus

Stauroteuthis syrtensis

The Glowing Sucker Octopus can be found at 2500 m in the deep ocean. This unique creature has two fins that look similar to elephant ears. They move elegantly through the water by moving these fins and contracting their mantle. Evidence of this creature has only been spotted in the Atlantic Ocean.

Photo credit: https://octolab.tv/species/glowing-sucker-octopus/

https://ferrebeekeeper.wordpress.com/2011/03/14/glowing-sucker-octopus/

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/

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/

Deep-sea white anglerfish

Haplophryne mollis

The Deep-sea white anglerfish is a ghostly white creature found at depths between 1000m to 4000m. The strange bulge between its eyes is a bioluminescent lure. The main fish above is a female and the tiny fish attached to her body are males. Since it is difficult to find mates in the deep ocean, male fish latch onto the female with hooked teeth. Even though the male fish are parasitic, they are eventually reduced to pockets of sperm that are used for reproduction. For all you fellas out there that have a rough time with the ladies, be thankful that you are at least not a bag of gonads floating through the ocean. 

Photo credit: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/440297301041956897/

https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d414d3559444f7a457a6333566d54/share_p.html

Helmet Jelly

Periphylla periphylla

The Helmet Jelly can be found at all depths of the ocean. This vibrant and strange jellyfish tends to proliferate in Norwegian fjords. They are one of the dominant predators in these isolated ecosystems. 

Photos

http://www.seawater.no/fauna/cnidaria/periphylla.html

https://www.bigfishexpeditions.com/2019/01/24/norway-deepwater-shark-diving-2018/helmet-jelly/

Fangtooth

Anoplogaster cornuta

The Fangtooth is a ferocious predator that is found at depths between 600 m to 5000 m. It has large, needle like teeth that are used to catch prey. It also has extremely sensitive sensory canals underneath of its scales used to detect movement in the water. Furthermore, their preferred prey are crustaceans and fish. 

Photo credit: https://pixels.com/featured/fangtooth-fish-dant-fenolio.html

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/845902742487789950/

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23231020-400-up-close-with-the-giant-teeth-of-the-deepsea-fangtooth/

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

Pink Helmet

Aglantha digitale

The Pink Helmet is a mini hydromedusa that comes in a variety of vibrant colors. The tiny jelly is only 4 cm in size and is found towards the surface of the ocean. The purple and blue hues we see in its bell are caused by a phenomenon known as iridescence, when light strikes the jelly’s thin tissue at different angles  (similar to what we see in a soap bubbles). It also has orange pigmentation near its mouth; this pigmentation helps attract prey and mask luminescence. Furthermore, females tend to be more colorful than males.

Photo  credit:    https://biolum.eemb.ucsb.edu/organism/pictures/aglantha.html

 https://www.pinterest.com/pin/186899453255850798/