Absurd Creatures | Comb Jellies Are Ready to Rave

(perky guitar music)

Be warned.

This is what happens when you eat too many Skittles,

or sprinkles,

or maybe adult brownies,

or even better all three at once.

This is the ocean's majestic comb jelly.

You'd think that those rippling bands

of colors would be a case of bioluminescence,

which so many sea creatures deploy.

But in reality, this has more to do with

the critter's locomotion.

Like jellyfish, comb jellies are squishy,

and lack a brain.

Though they do have a nervous system,

and sensors for orientation.

But they get around a bit differently than jellyfish,

and that's where the light show comes in.

Though jellyfish swim with those

famous full body contractions,

the comb jelly moves around with

special flittering hairs called cillia.

When white light hits these filaments

it's broken out into its different colors.

Hence, the I have eaten way

too many Skittles effect.

But oddly enough, this probably never happens

with regular old light from the sun.

Scientists have to hit them with beams

from submersibles in order to get the shimmering.

Comb jellies have tentacles just like true jellyfish,

but theirs are sticky as opposed to stinging.

Depending on the species,

some will dangle long lines to snag food,

including tiny plankton.

Others have smaller tentacles around

their mouths to catch prey,

like the world's most badass beard.

Yeah, you heard me Chuck Norris.

And still others have cillia that

are modified into serrated teeth.

These species eat other jellies.

Using their chompers to ratchet

themselves over their victims.

Think of comb jellies as the spiders of the sea.

Arachnids have all kinds of strategies for hunting.

From those with classic webs,

to the trapdoor spider

which ambushes its prey from a den.

Comb jellies are diverse like that.

Only they can swim real good,

and they look like they're made

out of rainbows and happiness.

Kind of like me.

(gentle guitar music)