In the news: Scott France among researchers that spot rare sea dandelion 8,300 feet beneath the ocean surface.
Wed, 09/13/2017 - 8:58am
Scott France of our biology department and is quoted in a recent Daily Mail article (with photos and video).
Thousands of feet beneath the ocean's surface, scientists have spotted a mysterious glowing creature hovering above the seafloor amid a 'spider web' of tentacles.
This is the deep-sea 'dandelion animal' - and, despite its solitary appearance, experts say the pulsating orb is not one organism but 'loads and loads' of individuals living and working together.
The dandelion animal is a type of siphonophore in the family Rhodaliidae, explains Okeanos researcher Scott C. France of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, in a recent mission log.