Cue the monotonous thumping bass and the euphoria-inducing designer drugs. Here we have the comb jellyfish, a brainless and spineless member of the ctenophora family, or more commonly known as the ravers of the sea. Due to lines of comb-like “cilia,” which reflect light, these strange creatures look like a mix between a Pink Floyd light show and a slab of clear Jell-O.
And like the cover of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, the comb structures act as a light prism, breaking down white light into the colors of the rainbow. In fact, these combs have even more purpose beyond creating a trippy light show – they’re the creature’s propulsion system. Whereas normal jellyfish use whole body contractions to move, comb jellies use these lines of cilia, which in turn dance and sparkle.
Although comb jellies have no brains, they still reign as king of the ocean’s dancefloor. They’re even up there with the bioflourescent sea turtle. If those two started a band, or at least a dancing duo, they’d be unstoppable. Just imagine, a group of raver kids, basked in black light and sitting around a fish tank full of these guys – I believe that’s what the kids are calling jelly rolling.
