Rare Bus-Sized Phantom Jellyfish Spotted On Deep Sea Video Off Coast Of Argentina

An exploration out in the deep sea recently off the coast of Argentina unveiled remarkable footage of a massive jellyfish that’s able to get up to the size of a school bus.

Published by the Schmidt Ocean Institute, video shows the incredible sea creature while it was swimming below the surface of the ocean at 820 feet.

This rare species of jellyfish is named Stygiomedusa gigantea, or they’re simply known as a giant phantom jelly, according to the institute. (RELATED: California’s Bay Area Hammered By Over 30 Earthquakes, Strongest Recorded At 4.2)

In the science expedition, which was operated by Argentina, the entire coast of the nation from Buenos Aires to an offshore area near Tierra del Fuego was explored by science teams.

28 suspected new sea species were also documented by the teams, as well as the biggest Bathelia candida coral reef known in oceans all around the world. Multiple rich reef complexes were also documented.

“We collected an unprecedented number of chemical, physical and biological samples that will be used to understand connections in our waters for years to come,” said CONICET and Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía’s Dr. Melisa Fernández Severini. “These samples represent a unique opportunity to understand not only how extraordinary these extreme ecosystems are, but also how vulnerable they can be.”

ROV pilots filmed this giant phantom jelly, or Stygiomedusa gigantea, at 253 meters during an ROV descent to explore the Colorado-Rawson submarine canyon wall. #ArgentinianDeepSeeps pic.twitter.com/80tq5JYOTz

— Schmidt Ocean (@SchmidtOcean) January 2, 2026

Footage of the jelly shows juvenile fish as they swam beside the creature’s tentacles, which appear as long, pink ribbons streaming through the water.

According to the Schmidt Ocean Institute, the giant phantom jelly doesn’t have any tentacles that sting. Instead, they catch prey by using their arms.

Video shows how huge the jellyfish get, as their tentacles can extend quite the length. (RELATED: Eastern US Set To Deal With Two New Rounds Of Snow, Late-Week Storm After Being Buried By Fern, Gianna)

The jellyfish’s bell was a rounded, bulbous shape as it pulsed through the ocean.

Though the footage makes it hard to see the precise size of the jellyfish, the institute stated that this species is able to have tentacles that can reach 33 feet, and bells that can get to 3.3 feet in diameter.