A Japanese and Brazilian staff of scientists discovered a cool new jellyfish with a distinguishing mark. The St. George’s cross medusa (Santjordia pagesi or S. pagesi) is a brand new medusa jellyfish species that was discovered about 2,664 ft deep within the Pacific Ocean. It lives in a deep-sea volcanic construction referred to as the Sumisu Caldera. This scorching, hydrothermally energetic caldera is about six miles throughout and is positioned off the coast of Japan’s Ogasawara Islands, about 285 miles south of the capital metropolis of Tokyo. The findings are described in a study published in November the journal Zootaxa.
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Defending its snacks–with a protect and 240 tentacles
The St. George’s Cross medusa is taken into account pretty giant for a jellyfish, at about 4 inches large and three inches lengthy. It additionally boasts roughly 240 tentacles. It will get its title from a cross form on its physique when considered from above that resembles the purple Cross of St. George on the English flag.
It’s a sort of jellyfish referred to as a medusa (or the plural kind, medusae), that are free-swimming jellyfish which are formed like an umbrella and have a decreased stalk.
“The species could be very totally different from all of the deep-sea medusae found so far. It’s comparatively small, whereas others in this sort of setting are a lot bigger. The brilliant purple coloring of its abdomen in all probability has to do with capturing meals,” André Morandini, a examine co-author and biologist on the College of São Paulo in Brazil, said in a statement.
Like all jellyfish, S. pagesi is clear. It additionally eats different bioluminescent organisms within the deep sea that give off mild. The staff believes that its brilliant purple abdomen acts like a protect to cover its prey. This fashion, different organisms can’t see its meal after it has swallowed it.
A uncommon discover
Whereas new species are found and described on a regular basis, this one was significantly uncommon. It was so troublesome for the staff to gather, that the findings are based mostly on one single specimen. Nonetheless, the staff reportedly noticed one other S. pagesi close by and anticipate future surveys to point out extra members of the group.
The specimen within the examine was captured back in 2002 by the Remotely Operated Automobile (ROV) Hyperdolphin. The Sumisu Caldera can solely be accessed by way of an ROV since it’s so deep . Scientists didn’t see every other specimens till 2020. An ROV filmed, however didn’t gather, one other jellyfish of the identical species.
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“We opted to publish the outline and name consideration to the species which are current on the website, which has a substrate wealthy in minerals and the potential to be commercially developed. Sadly, analysis can’t be carried out in such locations with out companions who’ve pursuits of this type,” Morandini stated.
‘Arsenal of venoms’
S. pagesi belongs to a brand new subfamily named Santjordiinae. It has small sensory constructions referred to as rhopalia on beneath and on the sides of its umbrella, which makes it distinctive amongst jellyfish within the order Semaeostomeae. That is the order that extra frequent species like moon jellyfish belong to. The staff believes it might ultimately match inside Semaeostomeae once they can gather extra species. For now, it stays in Ulmaridae, the broader jellyfish household.
Since it’s so totally different amongst jellyfish, the authors imagine that it doubtlessly has an “arsenal of venoms” which are not like these beforehand found in jellyfish. The Indo-Pacific field jellyfish releases a venom that makes the heart contract and Australian field jellyfish can launch this venom from thick tentacles that grow up to 10 feet long.
“Who is aware of? Possibly it holds secrets and techniques extra invaluable than all of the mineral wealth that may very well be extracted from that place. All this with the benefit of holding the species and the positioning intact,” stated Morandini.
