Rare marine creature caught on camera during deep sea expedition

Gulf of Mexico: Marine experts caught the shock discovery of a purple siphonophore on camera during a deep sea expedition in the Gulf of Mexico

Despite its jellyfish appearance, the creature is actually a colony of smaller, interconnected organisms, known as zooids.

The individual organisms work together to eat, move and even breathe.

Marine biologist Rebecca Helm, part of the Nautilus Live team who discovered the 'creature', was suitably impressed.

She wrote in Deep Sea News: "To me, the best part of science is stuff like this: seeing something that completely takes my breath away."

"Even after studying animals like this for the last five years, this video has me in awe.

"The animal captured in this footage, simply put, is stunning."

There are more than 175 different species of siphonophores found floating around ocean basins across the world, but few are purple.

One of the most famous siphonophores is the deadly Portuguese man o' war.

The Praya Dubia, which can grow up to 50 metres, is regarded as the world's largest animal.