Image

Venus’ girdle

September 29, 2009

Looping through the open ocean, this ribbon-shaped jelly-like animal, called a “Venus’ girdle” comb jelly, catches food with a sticky substance. This one was seen in the ocean off the Phoenix Islands chain in the equatorial Pacific where an international team of scientists, divers, photographers and officials are on a 3-week research mission to survey what may be the most pristine, intact coral reef ecosystems on Earth. (Photo by Larry Madin, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)