Iridescent Red Ctenophore! | Nautilus Live

During one of the first dives of our expedition exploring the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM) south of Johnston Atoll, the Corps of Exploration was thrilled to spot this beautiful red ctenophore reflecting back the lights of ROV Hercules. These comb jellies are the largest animals able to swim with the help of cilia - eight rows of comb plates made up of thin hairs beating together in rhythm. Watch this invertebrate shine as bright as a ruby lit up like fireworks down in the ocean’s depth. Located in the central Pacific Ocean, between the Hawaiian Islands and the Line Islands, Johnston Atoll is one of the most remote atolls in the world. Surrounding the atoll, the PRIMNM manages massive habitat of deep seamounts and ridges which are poorly explored to date. Biodiversity sightings like this one contribute to the understanding of this protected region guiding cooperative management and conservation by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Learn more about this expedition funded by NOAA Ocean Exploration via the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute: -- E/V Nautilus is exploring unknown regions of the ocean seeking out new discoveries in biology, geology, and archaeology. Join us 24/7 for live video from the seafloor and to ask questions of our explorers currently aboard Nautilus: . Follow us on social media for dive updates, expedition highlights, and more: Subscribe on YouTube: Facebook: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: @NautilusLive