Visual Addicts

The jelly belly to make all others red with envy! We can’t get enough of the bloody-belly comb jelly (Lampocteis cruentiventer). Ever since it was first described 20 years ago by our colleagues @MBARI_News, it has been a goal of ours to bring people face to face with these crimson creatures.

And now here they are!! Our new “Into The Deep: Exploring Our Undiscovered Ocean” exhibition features bloody-belly comb jellies collected by MBARI’s Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) in our deep backyard of the Monterey Bay Submarine Canyon.

The glorious red bodies and bellies of these jellies are simply sumptuous adaptations for life in the deep and dark. As you descend into the abyss, red light is the first to go, so animals that are physically red appear black. And, having an extra red lining to their guts helps disguise the glow of shining, bioluminescent meals that may be calling for help with their own flashing lights. It turns out that in the deep of a bloody-belly’s tummy, no one can see you scream 😱.

Bloody-bellies tend to be found near the Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ), between 1,200-3,281 feet (400-1,000 m) in deep, cold and dark waters. Our comb jelly experts have been working with these ruby-robed ctenophores for years, and thanks to the fine control over water chemistry and temperature we have in our new gallery, we’re able to replicate the conditions these animals need to thrive.

The genus name “Lampocteis” derives from the Greek roots for “brilliant comb,” referring to the bright iridescence diffracted from this animal’s comb rows. Bloody-bellies are also brightly bioluminescent and can emit brilliant blue light throughout the channels in their bodies, likely as a burglar alarm to let the rest of the deep community know there’s a jelly in need of preservation.

Me:

by @ssnnas