In photographs, it looks like a big red spaceship cruising the ocean depths. But it’s actually a new species of jelly that was discovered and described by scientists at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. With a bell diameter of up to a meter wide, the new jelly, named Tiburonia granrojo or ‘big red,’ would seem tough to miss, except that it lives deep below the ocean’s surface, at depths of 650 to 1500 meters (2000 to 4800 feet). MBARI scientists observed the jelly using video cameras on deep-diving remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).

This animal was originally part of a pack known as the Jellyfish Pack. The Jellyfish Pack was done at ZooAdmin and each jellyfish is skinned by a different member of that site. These animals will not reproduce and do not require any food/enrichment, acting like ambients. But, guests will still view and enjoy them.

This particular jelly’s skin was contributed by Koala Komander. Like many other downloads of its time, it was a collaboration that Penguinman created with another user. It includes a gift for guests to purchase.

This download has one known issue:

• Although the jellyfish don’t need to be fed, they do eat through a unique behavior of sifting the water for food. Sometimes they don’t perform certain need-fulfilling behaviors like sifting when they should, which will lead to that need being unfulfilled. This is temporary and resolves itself on its own without the need for player intervention.

Other downloads in the ‘Jellyfish Pack’ set:

• Yellow Jellyfish
• Purple-Striped Jellyfish
• Lion’s Mane Jellyfish
• Granrojo
• Flower Hat Jellyfish
• Australian Spotted Jellyfish
• Deepwater Trachymedusa
• Mauve Stinger
• Cannonball Jellyfish
• Fried Egg Jellyfish
• Cross Jellyfish