Scientists Spotted a Jellyfish That Looked Like an Alien Space Ship

The marine scientists working in the Mariana Trench, which is the deepest part of the world's oceans spotted a bizarre jellyfish (shown in the video below) that looked like it came from the outer space in the Pacific Ocean last April 24, 2016

The scientists have seen the remarkable jellyfish in about 2.3 miles (3.7 km) depth of the sea. It is identified as belonging to the genus Crossota and called as hydromedusa.

The jellyfish has two sets of a tentacle that are long and short. They extend from its pulsating bell. The jellyfish's bell is motionless when the long tentacles are extended outward. The scientists said that they are in the ambush predation mode when they do that. The inside of the bell is similar to a flying saucer, which are red canals that seem to connect bright-yellow gonads.

The Hydromedusa is in the Class Hydrozoa. The typical hydromedusa is small and has a globular umbrella or bell. It has long hollow tentacles that they used for preying larval fish, eggs, crustaceans, other jellies and other types of plankton. Though it has toxins, it cannot seriously harm people. They live for a few days and they do not grow by over few millimeters in size. On the other hand, some of them grow for about few centimeters and live for months.

The scientists were on aboard the vessels Okeanos Explorer for the ROV Depp Discoverer when they captured a video of the stunning jellyfish. This was their fourth dive for the mission called 2016 Deepwater Exploration of the Marianas, according to Live Science. They also found enthralling features of this underwater mountain they have name Enigma Seamount. Their expedition will end on May 11 and will have its second leg that is scheduled for departure on May 20. The third leg is set on June 17.