A team of scientists experienced a moment they described as a mix of excitement and disbelief after finding a huge ‘’ghost animal’’ in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Argentina. The animal was a huge and extremely rare jellyfish that lives in the deep of the ocean, in areas where human beings almost never reach.
The discovery was surprising because of the size of the ghost animal (like the length of a bus) and because it revealed a hidden world of life thriving in extreme underwater conditions. So, let’s learn more about this animal, shall we?
Finding the ‘’ghost animal’’
This finding happened about 820 feet deep under water off the coast of Argentina. When scientists encountered the enormous jellyfish, they were conducting a deep-sea expedition along the entire Argentine coastline, carried out by the Schmidt Ocean Institute, an organization dedicated to ocean research.
The mission’s chief scientist, María Emilia Bravo, a marine biologist at the University of Buenos Aires, described the moment to The New York Times. She said the animal’s “ethereal, delicate presence in such an extreme environment was profoundly surprising.”
The creature belongs to the species known as the giant phantom jellyfish. It can grow up to 33 feet in length, and the round top part of the jellyfish (known as bell) can measure more than 35 inches (90 centimeters) across.
Opposite to other jellyfish, this one has no stinging tentacles. However, it uses long, ribbon-like arms to capture its prey, which usually includes plankton and small fish.
Technology used in the discovery
To make this discovery of the ‘’ghost animal’’ possible, scientists used a remotely operated vehicle called SuBastian. This vehicle is capable of diving deep into the ocean and sending images and data back to researchers at the surface.
Rare animal seen by humans
What makes this ‘’ghost animal’’ so special is its rarity. Since the first specimen was collected in 1899, this species has only been registered about 120 times, which means that in more than a century it has been barely registered a bit more than 100 times in the entire world.
The main reason why this species is so rare is the place it lives. These jellyfish are found in a part of the ocean known as the ‘’midnight zone.’’
Midnight zone
This area is between 3,300 and 13,000 feet deep under water. There, there is no sunlight at all, the pressure is extremely high, and the temperatures are very low. So, these conditions make it difficult for scientists to explore the area.
Because humans rarely travel to such depths, many of the animals living there are seldom seen. This helps explain why the giant phantom jellyfish has been recorded so few times.
Other discoveries
In addition to the jellyfish, the team documented several other important discoveries:
- One major finding was the largest known reef of Bathelia candida coral. This reef covers an area comparable in size to Vatican City, showing that even deep, dark environments can support large and complex ecosystems.
- The researchers also identified the carcass of a whale on the seafloor at roughly 12,500 feet (3,800 meters) deep. This is the first recorded deep-sea whale fall in Argentine waters. When a whale dies and sinks to the ocean floor, it can create a temporary ecosystem and its remains provide food and shelter for various deep-sea animals and other organisms.
To sum up
The next time you think about the ocean, remember that far beneath the waves, in complete darkness, enormous and delicate creatures are drifting through a world we are only beginning to explore. Who knows what creature scientists will find next?