Sea Creature Of The Week (Week 4)

Welcome to Week 4 of the Sea Creature Of The Week blog. A blog where I write about a different fascinating sea creature every week, from proterozoic to holocene, extinct and extant, you'll find something interesting here.

Hello again, I know I'm late for this blog entry but I was busy with vacation and didn't have time to post this week's sea creature...

DEEPSTARIA

Deepstaria is a genus of deep sea jellyfish, there are 2 known species within its genus and they are known for their thin sheet like bodies. Deepstaria was first discovered in 1967 by the Deepstar 4000 submersible, wich is how the genus earned its name. Deepstaria is found 3,000 feet (914m) below the surface and are incredibly rare to find. As such information on the genus is very limited. Deepstaria has been found in Atlantic and Pacific waters as well as the Gulf Of Mexico. 

The body of the Deepstaria is incredibly fragile and it often tears apart when brought to shore making research even more difficult. Because if this unique body they have the nickname of the plastic bag jellyfish or the blanket of the sea. The genus lacks tentacles and instead have long oral arms. Its umbrella shaped bell membrane has a netlike appearance when viewed closely and it is believed to be a complex network of canals that make up its digestive tract. To catch their prey Deepstaria engulf their prey whole, encasing their food in  the thin membrane that makes up their bell. The diet of Deepstaria is unknown but it is believed to contain small fish, crustaceans, and other deep sea jellyfish. Deepstaria have also been observed to be eaten by deep sea crustaceans. The genus has also been found with isopods living in them, while residing within the jellyfish the isopod feeds on its bell membrane from the inside out, possibly going do far as to limit the mobility of Deepstaria. 

Deepstaria have been observed to move in a wave like motion similar to earthworms rather than the pulsating movement that most jellyfish use to move around. They have reached more than 2 feet (61 cm) long. Many other facts about Deepstaria such as lifespan and how they reproduce are still unknown. But one thing for certain is that these jellyfish are fascinating creatures of the deep.