The Elusive Giant Phantom Jellyfish Looks Like Darth Vader

Art often imitates life, and sometimes animals do, too. The enormous jellyfish seen in this YouTube video bears a striking resemblance to the villain from “Star Wars,” but it predates the series by nearly 80 years. First discovered in 1899, the giant phantom jelly was a strange anomaly. It lives so deep in the ocean that it’s rarely seen, and its unusual appearance makes it even more bizarre. However, if this jelly were a “Star Wars” character, it would be more Jedi than Sith. Here’s why.

A Rarely-Seen Specimen

The giant phantom jellyfish is found everywhere except in the Arctic. This species thrives in the bathypelagic zone, which extends to depths of up to 13,000 feet below the ocean’s surface. They have been observed closer to the surface, as seen in footage from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. This jelly was swimming at a depth of 3,200 feet. A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) is the only way to observe this species because of the extreme depths at which it lives. As a result, it has been seen fewer than 120 times since its discovery.

Although the first giant phantom jelly was caught in 1899, it wasn’t recognized as a new species until six decades later. It was briefly described in 1910, and MBARI captured this first-hand look in 2021. Little is known about it today, aside from its habitat and the behaviors observed through ROV footage. In 2023, the Schmidt Ocean Institute captured footage of a giant phantom jelly in waters off Costa Rica. The video shows the impressive bell of the jelly, along with its ribbon-like tentacles, as it glides downward. Both videos offer crystal-clear views of the grace and ethereal nature of this giant jellyfish. While its size is monstrous, its nature couldn’t be more docile.

Gentle Giants of the Deep

The giant phantom jelly bears an eerily similar appearance to Darth Vader. If the Sith were a sea animal, he would probably resemble a squid more than this gentle giant. The giant phantom jelly only looks menacing; in reality, it’s completely harmless. Based on current knowledge, researchers have determined that it poses no threat to humans, even if encountered in the deep sea. After recording footage in 2023, the Schmidt Ocean Institute took to Twitter to provide further explanation. “[With] their diet—and the fact they live in the midnight zone far from humans — there’s no need to fear this awesome & delicate ghostly giant,” their researchers wrote. They added that the giant phantom jelly’s arms can grow to a whopping 33 feet long, but are completely harmless to humans because they lack stingers. Instead, the jelly uses these long tentacles to capture and wrap around prey.

These undulating tentacles function as arms to push food into the jelly’s mouth. While little is known about its eating habits, researchers have confirmed that it primarily consists of a diet of plankton and small fish. The giant phantom jelly differs from most other species in that it lacks a centrally located mouth. Instead, it has a mouth region that researchers have yet to observe. In addition to its tentacles, its pulsating red bell is another notable feature. Its bioluminescence gives it the appearance of a red or orange light, caused by chemical reactions happening within its body. It is believed that this helps deter predators and may also attract prey.

It’s A Mouth Breeder

One thing you can’t tell by observing the giant phantom jelly is that it’s viviparous. This means its mouth serves two purposes: eating and giving birth. This is unusual because the giant phantom jelly is one of the rare jellyfish species that does not lay eggs. Instead, it gives live birth to its offspring through its mouth, which serves as the birth canal. Giant phantom jellyfish offspring, called medusae, develop in the jelly’s bell. When the offspring are fully mature, they release themselves from their mother’s bell and exit through her mouth opening.

In addition to its surprising maternal behavior, the giant phantom jelly has been observed helping other deep-sea species. During one expedition, a small species of fish, the pelagic brotula, was seen darting between the tentacles of this jelly. Since the giant phantom jelly is so large, researchers theorize it may offer protection to small species. The relationship appears to be symbiotic, as the pelagic brotula may rid the giant jelly of parasites along the way. This further demonstrates the non-threatening nature of the giant phantom jelly. While intimidating in size, it is a jellyfish species that researchers are eager to learn more about. Since it is impossible for humans to reach the bathypelagic zone, ROVs are the most valuable tool we have for continuing to study this Darth Vader-like jelly.