Researchers solve a marine mystery.
For decades, giant gelatinous spheres up to 4 meters in diameter have been appearing throughout the ocean, perplexing both divers and scientists.
The study was published Tuesday in the journal Scientific Reports.
Despite their rarity, the huge blobs of jelly have been seen from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean, and from the water’s surface down to 70 meters deep.
The giant spheres are mostly found mostly by divers, rather than scientists.
It’s been guessed the blobs could come from giant larvaceans, which create “houses” made of mucous.
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Another theory was that the blobs were squid egg masses — but those tend to be much smaller, and there was no evidence for what kind of squid could be making them.
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With only four samples, scientists can’t confirm that every one of the blobs comes from Illex coindetii.
But given their similar appearance in the squid’s known habitat, the case seems to be closed for now.
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