Image courtesy of Antony Gilbert
Giant phantom jellies were discovered in 1899 and since then have only been spotted around 120.
Giant phantom jelly (Stygiomedusa gigantea) lives on the oceans except the Arctic Ocean. It eats plankton and small fish.
Why it's awesome: Earth's oceans are home to many
secretive and unusual creatures that humans rarely see — including giant
phantom jellies. These elusive deep-sea creatures have a 3.3-foot-wide (1
meter) bell and four ribbon-like arms that grow up to 33 feet (10 m) long,
making them among the largest invertebrate predators in the ocean.
The first giant phantom jelly specimen was collected
in 1899 and described in 1910. The species has only been spotted around 120
times since. This is because these jellies generally live in deep waters, down
as far as 22,000 feet (6,700 m) below the surface.
They have
compressible, squashable bodies, which help them to survive the incredibly high
pressures they experience at these depths.
In 2022, researchers observed giant phantom jellies on three
separate occasions during submersible expeditions in Antarctica, with videos
and images showing the creatures swimming at relatively shallow depths of
between 260 and 920 feet (80 to 280 m). In a study reporting the sightings,
researchers said it's likely the jellies live closer to the surface in high
southern latitudes because seasonal variations in sunlight may drive prey
closer to the surface.
According to evolution, all species are connected to each other.
Source:
Lydia Smith 2025 Giant phantom jelly: The 33-foot-long ocean giant that has babies out of its mouth | Live Science January 25
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