Crossota millsae explained

Crossota millsae is a species of deep-sea hydrozoan.^[1] These small ocean-dwelling creatures are bioluminescent; the light emitted by these jellyfish serves as a defense or warning to other creatures.^[2] Males and females have both been described, and it reproduces sexually. They are viviparous and females brood baby medusae attached to the gastric canals inside the sub-umbrellar space.

Distribution

Crossota millsae was first described from the Pacific Ocean off Hawaii and California.^[1] It was subsequently found in the Arctic Ocean^{[3] [4]} and in Guayanilla Canyon off Puerto Rico.^[5] NOAA researchers who filmed this species in 2018 near Puerto Rico called it a "psychedelic" jellyfish. It lives below 1 km depth in all four regions. Its highest abundance is found at 2500 m off California and 1250 m off Hawaii. In the Arctic Ocean, it has been observed sitting on the seafloor.^[6]

Etymology

It was named after Dr. Claudia Mills, a marine scientist at the Friday Harbor Laboratories.

External links

• A widely reproduced photograph of C. millsae from the Arctic Ocean.
• An in situ photograph taken near the Davidson Seamount off California.

Notes and References

1. Thuesen, E.V., 2003. Crossota millsae (Cnidaria: Trachymedusae: Rhopalonematidae), a new species of viviparous hydromedusa from the deep sea off California and Hawaii. Zootaxa, 309: 1-12 http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2003f/zt00309.pdf
2. Gasca. Rebeca. Loman-Ramos. Lucio. Jan 2014. Biodiversity of Medusozoa (Cubozoa, Scyphozoa and Hydrozoa) in Mexico. Mexican Journal of Biodiversity. 85. 154–163. 10.7550/rmb.32513. free.
3. Web site: Arctic Images by Kevin Raskoff . 2008-11-08 . 2018-11-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181120221319/http://www.mpcfaculty.net/kevin_raskoff/arctic.htm . dead .
4. http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8231000/8231553.stm BBC - Earth News - In pictures: Icy jellies
5. Web site: Okeanos Explorer | Expeditions | NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer: Exploring Puerto Rico's Seamounts, Trenches, and Troughs | Daily Updates | Image Detail.
6. Raskoff, K.A., R.R. Hopcroft, K.N. Kosobokova, J.E. Purcell, & M. Youngbluth, 2009. Jellies under ice: ROV observations from the Arctic 2005 hidden ocean expedition, Deep-Sea Research Part II