This little jelly might not look like much, but that's the point! Vampyrocrossota childressi is a rare jelly, seen only a few times in the 30 + years we have explored the deep sea with MBARI's ROVs. ⠀ ⠀ In 1993, biologist Erik Thuesen, now a professor at @evergreenstcol named this species after his graduate school advisor Dr. James Childress, a professor at UC Santa Barbara, whose work led to discoveries in the pelagic, benthic, and hydrothermal vent ecosystems alike. The root of the genus name, vampyro-, was inspired by its black pigment which makes it blend into the darkness of the deep pelagic waters where it lives. Scientists don't know how it makes with pigment, but there is some evidence that the pigment absorbs blue light, a common color of deep-sea bioluminescence. ⠀ ⠀ #deepsea #deepseajelly #jellyfish #medusa #medusae #MBARI #underwaterphotography #blackpigment #deepsealife #oceanlife #bathpelagic #midwater #pelagic #vampire #nature #bioluminescence #ROV #gelata #gelatinouszooplankton