Rare school bus-sized phantom jellyfish seen in spectacular deep-sea footage

Its presence could make a minuscule fish downright jelly.Scientists were awestruck after discovering a schoolbus-sized phantom jellyfish off the coast of Argentina, as seen in incredible footage shot by a remotely operated vehicle.The team, from the Schmidt Ocean Institute, had been exploring the Colorado-Rawson submarine canyon wall when they discovered the gelatinous giant lurking where the sun doesn’t shine 820 feet down, according to an X post by the org.The sea critter was a rare species, Stygiomedusa gigantea, or a giant phantom jelly, a rare species that can grow to over 20 feet long with a bell that can measure over 3 feet across, according to a release by Schmidt.In the mesmerizing footage, captured via an autonomous submersible known as ROV SuBastian, the Goliath sea jelly is seen contracting and extending its undulating, ribbon-like tendrils into the deep like an aquatic burlesque dancer.Not much is known about the exceedingly rare jumbo jelly, with only around 118 sightings over 110 years.But the deep-sea denizen is believed to reside in every ocean, except the Arctic Ocean, inhabiting depths of up to 22,000 feet.Interestingly, giant phantom jellyfish do not sting like other jellyfish.Instead, they use their four ribbon-like oral arms to nab grab their prey — believed to be plankton and small fish — and guide it towards their mouth, Popular Science reported.That wasn’t the only anomalous critter the Schmidt oceanographers found rolling in the deep.

The team chronicled 28 suspected new species ranging from worms to anemones.They also discovered several rich reef systems, including the largest-known Bathelia candida coral reef in the world.“We collected an unprecedented number of chemical, physical, and biological samples that will be used to understand connections in our waters for years to come,” declared Dr.

Melisa Fernández Severini of Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía and CONICET.“These samples represent a unique opportunity ...