Atolla Haeckel 1880

A red deep-water domed jellyfish

Arctic basins; Meso-Bathypelagic, concentrated between 900 and 1400 m, observation beween 650 and 2200 m; Commonly observed by ROVs, but rare in plankton net colelction; Re-examination of material from older cruises shows it to be common throughout the Arctic

Holoplanktonic, without a polyp stage; embyro incubated in gonadal pouched; released near fully developed; Life span unknown; Taxonomic Note; The validity of Atolla tenella remains in requestioned, or if this is simply Atolla wyvillei Haeckel, 1880

Disk flat, dome transparent, lenticular (lens-shaped); Internal structures and exumbella (bottom side) dark red; 20-30 tentacles alternating with marginal rhopalia (sense organ); Umbella margins divided into lappets (a pair between each tentacle); Circular coronal furrow in exumbella deep; in life, one tentacles always trails elongated