Invisible Oceans Founder's Collection: Invisible Oceans #58: Pelagica II

This, a true jellyfish, is Pelagia noctiluca, literally 'light emitting sailor'. And, indeed it truly is. One dark night aboard RRS Discovery, the then, 2,000 ton, British Deep Sea Research Vessel. we were called on deck by the captain to witness Spinner Dolphins alongside, disturbing the waters, which in turn were emitting bioluminescence as the Dolphins agitated the waters with their flukes and leaving 'vapour' trails behind them. It was a wondrous sight, but then, even better, we realised that amongst the Dolphins were also a large shoal of Pelagia jellies. These jellies are renowned for their own bioluminescent displays, and in other shots of this species, the small light organs with which the bell and mantle and partly the tentacle bases, are endowed are clearly shown. These jellies drifted past us, and interacted with the Dolphins, looking like so many red-hot strawberries, each the size of two footballs. Against the inky black of the ocean, they formed a display never to be forgotten.

Lizard Island, Australia (2004)

Nikon F4 | Micro Nikkor 105mm f2.8 | Fuji Velvia