Researchers off California have captured incredible footage of this rare deep sea jellyfish. 

The giant but elusive creature, which was first officially documented in 1899, has only been filmed nine times over the course of thousands of dives in Monterey Bay and officially spotted just 110 times in 110 years worldwide. 

You can find it anywhere, from the surface to 21900ft. However, most of its life is in an area called “the twilight Zone”, which is too dark for any light.

In the latest sighting, the mysterious phantom jellyfish was caught on camera by a deepwater robot at a depth of 3,200ft (990 metres).  

Deep sea giant: Remarkable footage of a rarely seen phantom jellyfish has been recorded by scientists off the coast of California

Researchers off California have captured extraordinary footage of a deep-sea giant, phantom jefish.

The giant but elusive creature, which was first officially documented in 1899, has only been filmed nine times over the course of thousands of dives in Monterey Bay

Over the years, nine films have been made of this mysterious and massive creature. 

One angle shows the species' 3.3ft-wide (1m) bell pulsing as its four long tentacles undulate beneath it, while a shot from above makes the jellyfish look more like a hat

A single angle captures the species’ bell measuring 3.3ft (1m) in width. Its four tentacles spin beneath the bell. The jellyfish looks more like a hat from a higher perspective.

WHAT IS THE GIANT PHANTOM PHANTOM JELLYFISH? 

StygiomedusaGigantea is an enormous deep sea jellyfish, which is not often seen. However it is believed to be common all over the globe. 

This is believed to be the biggest invertebrate predator in deep-sea ecosystem.

It has a bell-shaped umbrella that can measure up to 3.3ft (1 metre). 

Scientists believe it also features four “paddle-like” arms that measure up to 32 feet (10m) in length. These are used, scientists suggest, to trap prey, since they do not have stinging tentacles.

Giant Stygiomedusas have been filmed at the Pacific coast of America by Deepwater Robots (off the coast of Japan) and deepwater cameras in the Gulf of Mexico.

This reddish-purple-colored creature can be found anywhere between surface and 21,900 feet. However, it mainly lives in an area known as the twilight zones, which is too dark for any light. 

Although it is believed that jellyfish feed on plankton, small fish, very little information is available about their survival. 

The amazing footage was taken by researchers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI).

They managed to capture the deep sea creature, which has bizarre 33ft-long ‘mouth arms’ and is scientifically known as Stygiomedusa gigantea, from three different perspectives.

While the bell of the species is approximately 3.3ft (1m) wide, the four-legged tentacles that surround it vibrate beneath. The jellyfish looks more like a hat from an angle.

If you look closer, the long’mouth arms” of this reddish-purple-coloured creature can be seen. Scientists believe they are used for trapping prey. 

It is assumed they feed on plankton and small fishes, but very little is known about how the jellyfish survives. 

It was spotted in two locations, including the Gulf of Mexico. However, it is not known if the species may hunt by holding onto subsea structures so that its arms can be freed to catch food.

The research institute stated that scientists know little about the animal even now. 

“The difficulties of accessing the deep-water habitat of this species contributes to its relative rarity of sightings.”

The scientists believe giant phantom jellyfish can be found in oceans all over the world, except for the Arctic.

Before underwater robots were invented, experts used trawling nets to study deep sea creatures such as Stygiomedusa gigantea.

But, if one is caught and brought to the surface of the water, MBARI researchers discovered that its smooth-looking frame transforms into “gelatinous, goo”.

This makes underwater robots an excellent way to study the species and find out more about its survival.

MBARI, however, has only nine observations of the gigantic phantom jellyfish in its 34-year history of deep sea research. 

According to the scientists, giant phantom jellyfish appear to be in all oceans except for the Arctic

Scientists believe that giant phantom jellyfish are found in every ocean except the Arctic.

It is assumed they feed on plankton and small fishes, but very little is known about how the jellyfish survives

Although it is believed that jellyfish feed on plankton, small fishes and other foods, very little information is available about their survival.

A wider look reveals the reddish purple coloured creature's lengthy 'mouth arms', which scientists believe are used to grab and trap prey

If you look closer, the long’mouth arms” of this reddish-purple-coloured creature can be seen. Scientists believe they are used for trapping prey.

The predator is one of the most powerful invertebrate invertebrates in the deep ocean ecosystem.

Previous footage captured in 2004 also showed a fish swimming inside and in close proximity to the bell of the jellyfish. 

Even the camera captured it laying on top of the jellyfish.

It was thought that the fish belonged to Thalassobathia perlagica, which is a rare species and has an symbiotic relationship.

By swimming within the jellyfish it is able to feed on scraps of food and have a certain level of protection in an otherwise shelterless abyss.

Video was posted by the institute. 

DEEP-SEA DEBRIS DATABASE REVEALS EXTENT OCEAN PLASTIC POLLUTION

The problem of plastic pollution is devastating the planet’s surface. The polluting plastic is now sinking to the bottom. 

The deepest part of the ocean is found in the Mariana Trench, located in the western Pacific Ocean, to the east of the Mariana Islands. The ocean floor is nearly 36,000 feet (111,000 metres) beneath the surface.

The deepest human-made pollutant in the world was discovered 35,754ft (10,898 meters) beneath the surface of the region. This plastic single-use bag reached a depth of 33 Eiffel towers if it was laid from tip to base.

While plastic pollution is slowly sinking, it’s also expanding further into the middle oceans. One piece of plastic found more than 620 miles (1,100 km) away from its nearest coastline – this is further than France’s length.

Public use of the Global Oceanographic Data Center, (Godac), was launched by Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology in March 2017. 

In this database, there is the data from 5,010 different dives. 3 425 man-made items from diving were compiled. 

More than 33 per cent of the debris was macro-plastic followed by metal (26 per cent), rubber (1.8 per cent), fishing gear (1.7 per cent), glass (1.4 per cent), cloth/paper/lumber (1.3 per cent), and ‘other’ anthropogenic items (35 per cent).

A further discovery was that 89% of waste found was made for single-use. This is defined as plastic bags, bottles and packages. They found more plastic the deeper they looked. 

Of all man-made items found deeper than 20,000 feet (6,000 metres), the ratios increased to 52 per cent for macro-plastic and 92 per cent for single-use plastic.

This direct damage to the ecosystem is obvious as deep-sea animals were seen in 17 percent of the images of plastic debris taken by the study.