Deepstaria


Deepstaria is a genus of jellyfish known for their thin, sheet-like bodies. The genus is named after the Deep Star 4000, which collected the holotype of the type species, D. enigmatica.

Description

Characteristic features of this genus include: a large, thin umbrella, lack of tentacles, and long oral arms. Due to lack of tentacles and large size, Deepstaria captures prey by encapsulating the prey with its whole body and digesting through their gastro-vascular canal system, allowing for proper distribution of nutrition, circulation of oxygen, and waste removal.

Species list

, WoRMS recognizes two species within the genus: