Researchers off the coast of Argentina made an incredible discovery while exploring the region’s deep-sea ecosystem.
An Argentinian-led research team discovered an extremely rare giant phantom jellyfish while conducting deep-sea research between Buenos Aires and Tierra del Fuego, NBC 6 South Florida reported.
Reuters and AFP also shared camera footage of the organism.
Giant ghost jellyfish are one of the largest species of jellyfish ever discovered, and they also happen to be one of the rarest. Their bells can grow to more than 3 feet wide and up to 33 feet long, and unlike many jellyfish species, they don’t use stinging tentacles to catch prey, Smithsonian Magazine reports. Instead, they wrap them up in their giant ribbon-like arms and eat them.
However, despite their size, they are very difficult to see. According to the magazine, there have been only about 120 sightings since it was first discovered in 1899. They live in extremely deep water, inhabiting the “midnight zone” at depths from 3,300 feet to 13,100 feet, and exist in complete darkness. This makes them difficult to detect and makes these areas of the ocean difficult to fully explore.
While the jellyfish was one of the highlights of the expedition, it wasn’t the only incredible discovery the scientists made. The crew also discovered a giant candida reef and several other reefs that together cover an area roughly the size of the Vatican City, NBC 6 reported. They also discovered 28 organisms they believe may be new species.
Dr. Melisa Fernández Severini of the Argentinian Institute of Marine Research and CONICET told NBC 6 that the number of samples collected for the study was “unprecedented.” “These samples provide a unique opportunity to understand not only how extraordinary these extreme ecosystems are, but also how fragile they are,” she said.
“We did not expect to see such high levels of biodiversity in the Argentinian deep sea and are delighted to see it teeming with life,” said expedition chief scientist Dr. María Emilia Bravo of the University of Buenos Aires and CONICET. “It is incredible to see all the biodiversity, ecosystem functions and connectivity unfolding together. We opened a window into our country’s biodiversity, only to find that there are many more windows to open.”
These findings highlight the importance of continuing to use cameras and sampling to study Earth’s oceans. There’s still a lot we don’t know about what’s going on at the bottom of the ocean and how these ecosystems work, especially in the deep ocean.
The findings also highlight the importance of reducing plastic waste that can disrupt marine ecosystems; in the study, researchers found that fishing gear and other plastic waste were perfectly preserved under the pressure of the ocean’s depths.
“With every deep-sea expedition, we discover that the oceans are teeming with life — as much as we see on land, and possibly more, since the oceans contain 98 percent of living space on Earth,” Schmidt Ocean Institute Executive Director Dr. Jyotika Virmani told NBC 6. “We are honored to work with outstanding scientists on three expeditions in Argentine waters and look forward to watching their research continue to unfold, unlocking new understanding and inspiration.”
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