Oddities of the deep sea. An invertebrate known as a siphonophore swims 552 meters deep in the tropical South Atlantic Ocean and is one of 31 species discovered during a deep-sea expedition off the coast of Brazil. The researchers explored the mid-ocean, an area that extends from just below the sunlit surface to the sea floor, and forms the largest habitable ecosystem on Earth. Using laser imaging tools, the team captured millimeter-scale 3D images of animals in their natural habitat. The new species include a gossamer worm, nine jellyfish, seven siphonophores and seven comb jellyfish. Researchers say the siphonophore in this image could belong to an undescribed genus.

Credit: ROV SuBastian/Schmidt Ocean Institute