@mbari_news: Transparency is key in the deep sea. 🗝️ Solmissus jellies are common in the midwater and a dominant predator in Monterey Bay. These graceful jellyfish, also known as dinner plate jellies, often greet us when we dive deep below the surface of Monterey Bay. With few places to hide in the open waters of the ocean, many deep-sea animals use their colors (or lack thereof) to shield them from potential predators and prey. Traditional methods of studying these midwater communities—the vast fluid universe between the sea surface and the seafloor—once involved dragging a trawl net through the water. But with remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), we can study these animals' true beauty and often see things we wouldn't observe after they've been dragged up in a trawl. Using our ROVs, MBARI scientists have studied the biodiversity of the deep pelagic zone and uncovered previously unknown complex predator-prey relationships between midwater gelatinous organisms. #MBARI #DeepSea #DeepOcean #fyp
