Bizarre rare jellyfish 'only seen twice' pictured in volcano 700 meters under the sea

A strange new species of jellyfish has been discovered in a volcanic structure.

The jellyfish has a strange marking on its belly that resembles a red cross.

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For this reason, the researchers aptly named the new species the St. George's cross medusa, or Santjordia pagesi.

The specimen is approximately 4 inches in diameter and has a translucent body.

Researchers discovered the jellyfish in the Sumisu volcanic caldera near the Ogasawara Islands in Japan.

The Sumisu Caldera is a 10 km wide, hydrothermally active volcanic site.

Researchers spotted the jellyfish about 2,600 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean; he has only been spotted twice before.

The first time the jellyfish was spotted was in 2002 by a remotely operated vehicle (ROV).

However, since this was the first time researchers had discovered it, they had to be sure it wasn't a one-off mutated specimen.

He was then spotted again in 2020, this time on camera, when researchers revisited the region

Researchers believe that the cross on the jellyfish's stomach helps it hide from predators in the dark.

It also helps to conceal the food the jellyfish consumes, as much of its diet consists of bioluminescent organisms that glow in the dark.

Researchers also believe the specimen may contain a unique poison that could be used in future medicine.

“Perhaps it contains secrets more valuable than all the mineral resources that can be extracted from that place,” says André Morandini, professor of zoology at the University of São Paulo's Institute of Biosciences and part of the research team. said in a statement.

“All this with the benefit of keeping the species and the area intact,” he added.

The team shared its findings in a study published in the journal Zootaxa on November 20, 2023.