Psychedelic Medusoid Jellyfish in the Deep Sea

While exploring the deep sea of the Cook Islands, ROV Little Hercules came across some awesome medusoid jellyfish, some over 5,000 meters (16,400 feet) deep. Crossota millsae is a deep-sea hydrozoan commonly called the psychedelic medusa because of its bioluminescence. In this video, we have three different individuals, but only the second shown is confirmed to be that exact species. Expert Dr. Dhugal Lindsay tells us that the other two animals are actually "Crossota aff. millsae," meaning they are an affiliated but separate subspecies from Crossota millsae. Digital footage like this is does not provide enough clues to separate the uncertainty which reminds us of how many more species we have left to identify and describe in the deep sea!

Special thanks to https://www.deepsea.com/ ‪‪for their partnership to test the MxD SeaCam imaging system during this expedition!

The NA176 Deep Sea Habitats of the Cook Islands expedition is using the ROV, mapping, and telepresence systems of E/V Nautilus to explore deep-sea areas prioritized by the Cook Islands government and local stakeholders. All collected data will be made publicly available to stimulate further exploration and research, and to support ongoing local management and future decision-making for the Cook Islands by Cook Islanders.