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Photo Contest 2014: 20 Jellyfish and 1 Portuguese Man o' War

By Scuba Diving staff | Updated On February 2, 2024
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Photo Contest 2014: 20 Jellyfish and 1 Portuguese Man o' War

Due to their odd shape and behavior, Jellyfish remain a mystery to most divers. What exactly are they? They're from the phylum Cnidaria, to be precise._ _And according to some scientists, they are the most ancient multiorgan animal on earth, estimated to be 700 million years old (nearly 3 times the age of the dinosaurs). Oftentimes translucent and looking like a blob, they don't resemble much else in the sea. But they are recognizeable in the water, and oftentimes misunderstood with other creatures such as the venomous Portoguese Man O' War.

We've collected 20 great photos of jellyfish (along with 1 very beautiful Portugeuse Man O' War). Let us know in the comment section what photo is your favorite and if you would dive with these amazing creatures!

Photo titles and captions provided by the photographers.

Interested in viewing more Photo Contest galleries? Here are more great underwater photos:

Scuba Diving Magazine's 2014 Photo Contest Winners
Sneak Peek at the 2014 Through Your Lens Photo Contest
2014 Photo Contest: 20 Amazing Nudibranch Pictures
Jaw-Dropping Shark Photos to Prepare for Shark Week
Seahorse Central: 12 Amazing Photo Contest Submissions
Cooky, Cool and Cute Crustaceans: A Photo Contest Gallery
40 Masters of Disguise from the 2014 Photo Contest
Spotted: 23 Speckled Critters from the 2014 Photo Contest
Rise of the Rays: 25 Amazing Photo Contest Entries
2014 Underwater Photography Contest: Eye See You!
But First, Let Me Take a [Scuba] Selfie
New Life: 19 Baby Underwater Creatures
2014 Photo Contest: 10 Incredible Photos of Whale Sharks

Parnupong Norasethkamol

The dramatic scene of Jellyfish lake create an image that I don't swim in the water but I flying in the space.

Jellyfish lake, Palau

Parnupong Norasethkamol

The dramatic scene of Jellyfish lake create an image that I don't swim in the water but I flying in the space.

Jellyfish lake, Palau

Jeffrey de Guzman

This was the most challenging photo I have ever taken in my life. It wasn't the size (less than half an inch) of the subject, nor it bouncing up and down and all around the inside of egg sack; but the strong swells at dive site. Which made it nearly next to impossible to get the proper composition. It took 5 dives over 3 days to get this shot.

Anilao Batanagas, Philippines

Taiki Sakai

This jellyfish was found three miles off the Kona coast in the middle of the night. Jellyfish are typically uncommon in Kona, but many varieties can be seen during the "Blackwater" dive coming up from their deep homes.

Kona, Hawaii

Taiki Sakai

This jellyfish was found three miles off the Kona coast in the middle of the night. Jellyfish are typically uncommon in Kona, but many varieties can be seen during the "Blackwater" dive coming up from their deep homes.

Kona, Hawaii

Nicholas Samaras

"Pandea conica" jellyfish.

Chalkidiki, Greece

Nicholas Samaras

Transparent jellyfish.

Chalkidiki, Greece

Nicholas Samaras

"Pandea conica" jellyfish.

Chalkidiki, Greece

Fayol Chan

Existed to break through the chamber and swim freely in the blue! This little junior took us a hard time to focus and control the light's output (over lighting lead to over exposed with everything in WHITE, while under lighting cannot see clearly the little inside)! A new generation eager to face the new world!

Lembeh Strait, Indonesia

Alan Lo

Taken with a single strobe during a day dive in jelly fish lake.

Jelly Fish lake, Palau

Chris Gug

Upside-down Mangrove (Cassiopeia) jellyfish receives the light bursting through tree branches.

Witu Crater, Papua New Guinea

Nancy Witherington

The surreal experience of swimming with the jellies found only in Jelly Fish lake.

Jelly Fish Lake, Palau

Adriano Morettin

A Jellyfish (Cothyloriza tuberculata) under the Miramare castle near Trieste my city home.

Northern Adriatic Sea, Trieste (Italy)

Adriano Morettin

Two Jellyfish (Cothyloriza tuberculata and Rhyzostoma pulmo) under the Miramare castle near Trieste my city home.

Northern Adriatic Sea, Trieste (Italy)

Adriano Morettin

A Jellyfish (Cothyloriza tuberculata) under the Miramare castle near Trieste my city home.

Northern Adriatic Sea, Trieste (Italy)

Massimo Giorgetta

Jellyfish in blue

_Raja Ampat, __Indonesia_

Massimo Giorgetta

Jellyfish in the night.

Raja Ampat, Indonesia

Jordi Benitez

In the summer sunsets we can find a lot of jellyfishes swimming close to the beach.

Calafell, Spain

Jordi Benitez

A Rhizostoma pulmo Jellyfish swimming to the sunset.

Calafell, Spain

Alfonso Exposito

Tokina 10-17 with two Inon Z240.

Palau

Montse Grillo

I was wearing a thick wetsuit that covered her from head to foot, and I could portray this Portuguese caravel (Physalia physalis) three miles off the coast of Tenerife. The Portuguese man is not a jellyfish, but a group of hydrozoans forming a team with different assignments.

Tenerife (Canary Islands)

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Due to their odd shape and behavior, Jellyfish remain a mystery to most divers. What exactly are they? They're from the phylum Cnidaria, to be precise._ _And according to some scientists, they are the most ancient multiorgan animal on earth, estimated to be 700 million years old (nearly 3 times the age of the dinosaurs). Oftentimes translucent and looking like a blob, they don't resemble much else in the sea. But they are recognizeable in the water, and oftentimes misunderstood with other creatures such as the venomous Portoguese Man O' War.

We've collected 20 great photos of jellyfish (along with 1 very beautiful Portugeuse Man O' War). Let us know in the comment section what photo is your favorite and if you would dive with these amazing creatures!

Photo titles and captions provided by the photographers.

Interested in viewing more Photo Contest galleries? Here are more great underwater photos:

Scuba Diving Magazine's 2014 Photo Contest Winners
Sneak Peek at the 2014 Through Your Lens Photo Contest
2014 Photo Contest: 20 Amazing Nudibranch Pictures
Jaw-Dropping Shark Photos to Prepare for Shark Week
Seahorse Central: 12 Amazing Photo Contest Submissions
Cooky, Cool and Cute Crustaceans: A Photo Contest Gallery
40 Masters of Disguise from the 2014 Photo Contest
Spotted: 23 Speckled Critters from the 2014 Photo Contest
Rise of the Rays: 25 Amazing Photo Contest Entries
2014 Underwater Photography Contest: Eye See You!
But First, Let Me Take a [Scuba] Selfie
New Life: 19 Baby Underwater Creatures
2014 Photo Contest: 10 Incredible Photos of Whale Sharks