Newly discovered jellyfish looks like a "flying saucer"

Scientists have discovered the world's largest known crown jellyfish, which looks completely alien.


This creepy creature, known as Atolla reynoldsi, was discovered in a dark "sunless" area of the Pacific Ocean at a depth of more than 1 kilometer under California's Monterey Bay and is an unusual and unique sight.


This elusive jellyfish with a diameter of only 12 cm, despite being the largest known of its kind, resembles a flying saucer with its characteristic round, domed shape.


It has up to 39 wriggling tentacles, however, unlike all other known species of crown jellyfish, this one does not have a single long stretching tentacle, which can be six times the diameter of the body. It uses its many appendages to catch prey in the dark depths.

"These remarkable new animals highlight how much we still have to learn about the depths of the sea," said study lead author George Matsumoto. "Almost every time we dive into the depths of Monterey Bay, we learn something new."