The new jellyfish has an unusual appearance. Image Credit: YouTube / MBARI
Scientists have revealed the discovery of the world's largest known crown jellyfish and it looks decidedly alien.
Found in the dark 'sunless' region of the Pacific around 1,000-4,000ft beneath California's Monterey Bay, this eerie creature - known as Atolla reynoldsi - makes for an unusual and unique spectacle.
Measuring only 5 inches in diameter despite being the largest known of its kind, this elusive jellyfish looks a bit like a flying saucer with its distinctive round, dome-like shape.
It sports upwards of 39 curled tentacles, however unlike all other known types of crown jellyfish, this one lacks the single, long trailing tentacle that can measure up to six times the diameter of the body.
It uses its myriad of appendages to snag prey in the murky depths.
"These remarkable new jellies underscore how much we still have to learn about the deep sea," said study lead author George Matsumoto.
"On just about every dive into the depths of Monterey Bay, we learn something new."
That thing is .... I'd steer clear of that. Everything looks like a UFO. All of those UFO sightings are actually undiscovered species of sky jellyfish.
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