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After an exhaustive hunt and countless hours of searching, we finally found the closest thing to a deep-sea blep we may likely ever see. 😛⁠ ⁠ The vampire squid, Vampyroteuthis infernalis, has a grim reputation and name, but we think they can be cute (and blep-worthy) too! This species is the only living member of Vampyromorpha, an ancient cephalopod order which gave rise to both squids and octopuses. Vampire squids are often found in the oxygen minimum zone, an area ranging from 500 to 700 meters deep (1,640 - 2,296 feet) in the Monterey Bay which is very low in dissolved oxygen and thus hosts very little life within its boundaries. ⁠ ⁠ #MBARI #vampiresquid #blep #cephalomania #deepsea #ocean #underwaterphotography #nature #explore #science #wildlife #vampiresquidsofinstagram⁠ 

Our engineers got a visit from this curious northern right whale dolphin while performing maintenance on our M1 mooring. 🐬⁠ ⁠ Northern right whale dolphins are typically found in large groups in the cold, deep waters of the Pacific. They are the only species in the Northern Pacific Ocean that lacks a dorsal fin. ⁠ ⁠ This animal and its friend swam around the mooring for about 10 minutes before they moved along to more interesting ventures. Don't forget that the sounds of Monterey Bay are streaming live on our website all day, every day! Be sure to check out the stream to listen to the whales, dolphins, and other ocean wildlife in the Monterey Bay (link in bio).⁠ ⁠ Thanks to Observatory Engineer Jared Figurski for this great shot!⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠⁠#MBARI⁠ #wildlife #ocean #dolphins #nature #explore #science #exploremore⁠ ⁠#marinebiology⁠⁠ #techietuesday #sciencelife #MontereyBay⁠

When you wake up and realize it's Monday morning. 😱⁠ ⁠ This Chiarella centripetalis jelly was captured on camera by the ROV Doc Ricketts during an expedition to the Gulf of California. Researchers aboard the cruise were primarily interested in learning more about the physiology and diversity of midwater animals in that region, especially gelatinous species. ⁠ ⁠ A dominant feature of the Gulf of California hydrography is the Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ). The Gulf's OMZ is very wide, reaching far shallower and deeper than in many other ocean habitats (including Monterey Bay). As climate changes, it is likely that oxygen minimum zones in other places will expand. Therefore, the Gulf is a good system to study to make predictions about the future of ecosystems in other parts of the world, where OMZs are just starting to expand.⁠ ⁠ This individual was observed (and probably startled!) at 405 meters (1,328 feet) deep. ⁠ ⁠ ⁠#MBARI #deepsea #ocean #jellyfish #underwatervideo #nature #explore #science #exploremore #wildlife #climatechange #mondaymood #mondayblues⁠ ⁠

Here at MBARI, we always try to keep our anemones close, and our tube anemones even closer. 😉⁠ ⁠ Although this tube-dwelling anemone looks like your typical anemone, it actually belongs to an entirely different subclass of animals. These ceriantharians are solitary animals that live buried in soft sediments of the seafloor. Like anemones, ceriantharians have tentacles that are used for feeding and defense against predators. Most species are sedentary, but a few live their lives up in the water column close to the surface. ⁠ ⁠ ⁠⁠#MBARI #sciencessunday⁠ #deepsea #ocean #anemone #underwaterphotography #nature #explore #science #exploremore #wildlife #sundaymorning #innerspace⁠ #sundayvibes⁠ ⁠

In the deep sea, gelatinous organisms can take many strange forms, and this scyphomedusa in the genus Deepstaria is certainly one of the oddest creatures we’ve ever seen! ⁠ ⁠ This species of jellyfish, Deepstaria reticulum, often has a bag-like appearance, no tentacles, and a bell that can open more than a meter wide. The species was named after the submersible DEEPSTAR 4000, where it was first observed intact in 1966. These large and fragile jellies can’t be collected effectively with nets but have been observed on over 30 dives in the last 25 years using MBARI’s remotely operated vehicles. ⁠ ⁠ Surprisingly, this species is closely related to one of the most common jellyfish in the ocean, the moon jelly, Aurelia aurita. Deepstaria’s adaptations—extreme size, mesh-like digestive system, and lack of tentacles—are actually typical of several other deep-sea species in the same family. But Deepstaria has another amazing adaptation: it can pull the opening of its bell closed, like a giant kitchen trash bag to trap things inside. ⁠ ⁠ This stunning individual was captured on the ROV Tiburon's cameras at 1,891 meters (6,204 feet) deep. ⁠ ⁠ ⁠#MBARI #sciencessaturday⁠ #deepsea #ocean #jellyfish #underwaterphotography #nature #explore #science #exploremore #wildlife #saturdaymorning #innerspace⁠

We only come out of hiding for the weekend. #arewethereyet⁠ ⁠ This little Benthoctopus sp. is hiding under a pile of rocks at 2,058 meters (6,751 feet) deep. MBARI researchers spotted this individual using the ROV Doc Ricketts during a mission in the Gulf of California. This group of octopuses is typically found between 200 and 3,000 meters (656 to 9,842 feet). Look closely at its tentacles and you'll notice two rows of suckers on each arm. ⁠These deep-water species often hunt snails, crabs, and other small animals on the seafloor.⁠ ⁠ #MBARI #deepsea #ocean #octopus #octonation #cephalomania #innerspace #underwaterphotography #nature #explore #science #exploremore #wildlife⁠ ⁠