- Peter Schuchert and Richard Collins found the species after 91 dives
- They discovered Zancleopsis grandis, whose tentacles measure more than five centimeters
- The duo found the large marine animal in Palm Beach, near the Gulf Stream.
Florida scientists have discovered a new species of giant jellyfish with tentacles more than two inches long.
Peter Schuchert and Richard Collins identified the “unique” tentacled sea creature after making 91 night dives over several years near Palm Beach off the Gulf Stream.
The duo were searching for a group of marine animals known as hydromedusae (commonly known as jellyfish) during their dives.
These small animals live in deep water and only surface at night, making them difficult to find otherwise.
Schuchert and Collins were able to collect a series of close-up photographs of different types of jellyfish and select specimens for DNA extraction over the course of their dives.
A side view of the newly discovered Zancleopsis grandis, whose tentacles measure more than two inches
The manubrium of the Zancleopsis jellyfish
Through 16S barcode sequencing, they were able to discover a new species of jellyfish called Zancleopsis grandis, also known as the large Zancleopsis jellyfish.
The new species is considered relatively large, with its body reaching just over an inch in height and its tentacles measuring more than two inches long, according to the study published.
Her body shape also changes as she moves, but is long and narrow when stationary.
Zancleopsis grandis has two long primary tentacles covered in single, giant bulbs.
According to the The Miami HeraldSchuchert explained that, despite its different size than normal jellyfish, Zancleopsis grandis also uses jet propulsion to move in the water.
One of the images shared in the study shows a large Zancleopsis jellyfish spread out with the bulbs of its tentacles less pronounced and more club-shaped.
Jellyfish are known to move through water by sucking in liquid and then expelling it through a narrow opening.
Collins confirmed that while many other species of jellyfish are known to glow in the dark, Zancleopsis grandis does not.
One of the images shared in the study shows a large Zancleopsis jellyfish spread out with the bulbs of its tentacles less pronounced and more club-shaped.
Another photo showed the jellyfish’s body and tentacles together while its bulbs appeared much rounder and more prominent.
The duo also said in the study that they distinguished 49 species of hydrojellyfish during their research, of which 18 are new additions to the 56 reported in their 2021 paper.
Schuchert and Collins also wrote that they discovered another type of jellyfish known as Melicertum tropicalis.
