Jellyfish shaped like mask strap w/electric pulse

[sassyalice]

I saw this at Cocos last year, It was my first time coming across them (Just saw some juveniles in Cozumel this past sept, to my delight.)

I couldn't get it to leave my lights alone and had to push it away several times just to get pictures of it. (Finally resorted to video) it seemed to want to play, then it started with the flashing. Entrancing to watch, made my safety stop pass quickly.
It was about 12-14 inches long

I found a drawn picture of it but no name yet, it is the long one in the Drawn pic.

I just like putting a name to a face

 

[Diver0001]

There are a class of jelly fish called "comb jelly" (google that). phylum ctenophora. I think it's one of those because you mentioned an "electric pulse" but I can't tell from your pictures which particular one.

Incidentally the bioluminescence (electric pulse) you observed really isn't. It's just light scattering caused by the movement of the cilia.

R..

 

[drbill]

Diver0001 may have gotten the right group, but it is not a class of jellyfish. Jellyfish are in the phylum Cnidaria which have stinging cells. Comb jellies are totally unrelated and in the phylum Ctenophora as he said.

He is correct on the "bioluminescence..." it is caused by the hair-like combs or ctenes that propel the members of that phylum.

 

[sassyalice]

Thank you I am closer now then ever to identify it, I had spent many hours searching but without the word comb in front of the search, I hadn't even been able to find a pic.

 

[sassyalice]

This is the information I found on it.

Cestum veneris
(venus girdle) – they swim sideways, and when they’re in escape mode, their bodies undulate rapidly, like waves. And when they are disturbed, they become “bioluminescent”, meaning they glow in the dark, along their edges.



But the neat thing was when it was in Bioluminescent mode it was coming straight for me not in the least affected when I was trying to get rid of it. I thought it wanted to play or it wanted the lights on my camera GONE. as it was either determined or aggressive, but I found it fascinating in its persistence. Better a jelly then a shark

 

[drbill]

It's too dumb to be aggressive! Not much of a nervous system and no brain.

 

[firstdive2005]

I had one of these swim with me on a safety stop at Cozumel. I videoed it. I so happy to find it here.
Incidently drbill I had a lionsmane sort of chase me or try to get close to me on a safety stop at a wreck at Nanaimo. At least thats what it felt like I was swimming every which way but I did not want to loose site of the anchor line. It was very big and I was truly worried about getting down current of it.

 

[scubaren]

It's too dumb to be aggressive! Not much of a nervous system and no brain.

Sounds like some guys I dated years back......