A coronate medusa, Periphylla periphylla, that collided with the seafloor. These medusae undertake a daily vertical migration (toward the surface at dusk and toward the depths at dawn). It is suspected that this was a reaction to the bright lights on Deep Discoverer; the medusae attempted to swim deeper away from the light they thought was coming from the surface.
Coronate Medusa
Image courtesy of NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Gulf of Mexico 2017.
A coronate medusa, Periphylla periphylla, that collided with the seafloor. These medusae undertake a daily vertical migration (toward the surface at dusk and toward the depths at dawn). It is suspected that this was a reaction to the bright lights on Deep Discoverer; the medusae attempted to swim deeper away from the light they thought was coming from the surface. Download larger version (jpg, 1.0 MB).
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