BeautifulNow
Nature Science

WOW! LIVING FIREWORKS!

Rare jellyfish looks like Fourth of July fireworks.
Courtesy of E/V Nautilus. Halitrephes maasi jellyfish.

Like fireworks exploding in water, rare jellyfish lit up in the darkest depths of the ocean, in a dazzling display, surprising a few lucky scientists who happened upon it.

The Halitrephes maasi  jellyfish lives at a depth of 4,000 feet underwater within the Revillagigedo Archipelago off Baja California, Mexico. Check out the Halitrephes Jelly shooting its fireworks in this video!|

Few humans have ever traveled so deep beneath the ocean surface. But the Exploration Vehicle Nautilus, operated by Ocean Exploration Trust, has enabled researchers to reach this previously unexplored region.

The 211 foot-long E/V Nautilus is equipped with some of the latest technological systems, helping to advance the frontiers of ocean exploration. Primary capabilities include “science class” remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), high-resolution seafloor mapping, and real-time satellite transmission of data.

 

Red, white, and blue jellyfish looks like fireworks in deep sea.
Image: Halitrephes maasi jellyfish. Courtesy of E/V Nautilus.

When lights from the ROV Hercules hit the jellyfish, they are reflected off of the radial canals that move nutrients through its gelatinous body, in a starburst effect. It’s dazzling! This jellyfish doesn’t light up on its own. So at this depth, where there is no sunlight from above, it is normally invisible as it wafts through the water.

Ocean Trust Remote Operated Vehicle shines light on rare Halitrephes maasi jellyfish in deep ocean.
Courtesy of E/V Nautilus. Halitrephes maasi jellyfish.

The jelly light show was a beautiful surprise. Scientists were exploring the deep waters off the coast of Baja California, in Mexico, looking for a routine crab sample at 1225 metres (4,019 feet) below sea level, via their ROV, when POW! A burst of beauty flashed before them.

 

Rare Halitrephes maasi jellyfish looks like a living fireworks display.
Courtesy of E/V Nautilus. Halitrephes maasi jellyfish.

The ongoing research project is collecting biological and geological data on oceanic seamounts (underwater mountains) of this largely unexplored part of the ocean, in the hopes of better understanding their role in the greater ecological picture.

Potential new species of pleurobranch discovered by researchers aboard the E/V Nautilus.
Courtesy of E/V Nautilus. Rossia pacifica squid.

The mission has included other rare sightings as well, including a purple googley-eyed squid (Rossia pacifica) (see video).

Potential new species of pleurobranch discovered by researchers aboard the E/V Nautilus.
Courtesy of E/V Nautilus. Potential new species of pleurobranch.

The team also discovered a small purple blob that they think that it is likely a pleurobranch, a relative of the nudibranch or sea slug. It may be a new species (see video). Other recent deep ocean explorations have turned up new species as well.

The E/V Nautilus scientific research ship heads ashore after a day of deep ocean exploration.
by Julye Newlin. “The E/V Nautilus heads ashore.” Courtesy of Ocean Exploration Trust.

E/V Nautilus is led by deep-sea explorer Robert Ballard, founder of Ocean Exploration Trust, famous for discovering the wreck of the RMS Titanic.

Systematic ocean exploration consists of a tiered approach of information gathering in geographic regions about which we know little or nothing, but where there is high potential for discovery. The first step involves studying large areas of unknown or poorly known ocean regions using a hull-mounted multibeam sonar mapping system. Water column properties may also be surveyed using CTDs (tools that measure Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth in water columns).

 

The E/V Nautilus lifts ROV from the water.
Courtesy of Ocean Exploration Trust. The E/V Nautilus lifts ROV from the water.

In the second tier of exploration, resulting data are used to identify areas of further interest to be explored using the ROVs, Hercules and Argus. The objective is to explore, locate and describe new habitats, geological processes, cultural sites, and unknown phenomena, establishing a rich foundation of information to catalyze further scientific efforts.

The EV Nautilus scientific research ship sets sail at dawn.
Courtesy of Ocean Networks Canada. “Good morning CS Wave Venture from the EV Nautilus!”

As the Corps of Exploration aboard Nautilus conduct operations at sea, satellite technology is used to transmit video, sensor and audio data to shore in real time. These high-definition data streams are transmitted via high bandwidth Internet-2 to the expedition’s “mission control” at the Inner Space Center (ISC), located at the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography. The feed is also transmitted to other shore-based Exploration Command Centers (ECCs) developed in strategic locations around the U.S. and in other parts of the world.

Halitrephes maasi jellyfish lights up like fireworks in the deep ocean off Baja California.
Courtesy of E/V Nautilus. Halitrephes maasi jellyfish.

Keep up with new discoveries aboard the Nautilus on their frequently updated YouTube channel.

 

Like fireworks, Halitrephes maasi jellyfish lights up in the deep unexplored waters off Baja California.
Halitrephes maasi jellyfish. Courtesy of E/V Nautilus.

Read more about Explosive Beauty all this week on BeautifulNow. And check out more beautiful things happening now in BN Wellness, Impact, Nature/Science, Food, Arts/Design, and Travel, Daily Fix posts.

Image A Burst of Deep Sea Fireworks: Halitrephes Jelly Courtesy of EV Nautilus
Courtesy of E/V Nautilus. Halitrephes maasi jellyfish.

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Beautiful Halitrephes maasi jellyfish looks like fireworks when researchers from E/V Nautilus shine light on it.
Courtesy of E/V Nautilus. Halitrephes maasi jellyfish.
  1. Image: Halitrephes maasi jellyfish. Courtesy of E/V Nautilus.
  2. Image: Halitrephes maasi jellyfish. Courtesy of E/V Nautilus.
  3. Image: Halitrephes maasi jellyfish. Courtesy of E/V Nautilus.
  4. Image: Halitrephes maasi jellyfish. Courtesy of E/V Nautilus.
  5. Image: Rossia pacifica squid. Courtesy of E/V Nautilus.
  6. Image: Potential new species of pleurobranch. Courtesy of E/V Nautilus.
  7. Image: by Julye Newlin. “The E/V Nautilus heads ashore.” Courtesy of Ocean Exploration Trust.
  8. Image: The E/V Nautilus lifts ROV from the water. Courtesy of Ocean Exploration Trust.
  9. Image: Courtesy of Ocean Networks Canada. “Good morning CS Wave Venture from the EV Nautilus!”
  10. Image: Halitrephes maasi jellyfish. Courtesy of E/V Nautilus.
  11. Image: Halitrephes maasi jellyfish. Courtesy of E/V Nautilus.
  12. Image: Halitrephes maasi jellyfish. Courtesy of E/V Nautilus.
  13. Image: Halitrephes maasi jellyfish. Courtesy of E/V Nautilus.
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