Invertebrates
Bloody-Belly Comb Jelly
Lampocteis cruentiventer · also called bloody-belly comb jellies
Hiding a strikingly deep red stomach behind a translucent, shimmering body, a bloody-belly comb jelly uses colour itself as camouflage, swallowing the telltale glow of its bioluminescent prey before any predator can spot it.
Overview
The bloody-belly comb jelly, Lampocteis cruentiventer, is a gelatinous predator native to deep ocean habitat off the California coast in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Its concealing red stomach, light-diffracting comb rows, and status as a ctenophore rather than a true jellyfish make it one of the more visually striking and cleverly camouflaged animals found anywhere in the deep sea.
Colour as a hiding place
Rather than using darkness or transparency to stay hidden, the bloody-belly comb jelly relies on a very specific colour trick, turning red pigment into an effective invisibility cloak for exactly the kind of glowing evidence that would otherwise give away a recent meal.
Status
Least Concern, remaining present across suitable deep ocean habitat off the California coast.
Bloody-Belly Comb Jelly: common questions
Why does the bloody-belly comb jelly have a red stomach?
This species' red pigmentation is thought to help conceal the bioluminescent glow of swallowed prey, since red light does not travel far or reflect well in deep water, making a red stomach effectively invisible to predators looking for a telltale glow.
Does the bloody-belly comb jelly produce its own light?
Not exactly, this species has rows of cilia called comb rows that diffract passing light into shifting rainbow colours, but this shimmering effect comes from light refraction rather than the animal generating its own bioluminescence.
Is the bloody-belly comb jelly a true jellyfish?
No, this species belongs to a separate group of gelatinous animals called ctenophores, distinct from true jellyfish despite superficial similarities in appearance and lifestyle.
How was the bloody-belly comb jelly discovered?
This species was formally described with the help of remotely operated deep-sea vehicles, which allowed researchers to observe and collect fragile specimens intact rather than relying on damaged material from trawl nets.