Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Carlos Virgili (Spain)

Sun jelly

'There were thousands of jellyfish pulsing through the water off Badalona, Spain, and they stretched for more than a kilometre. I focussed on this 30-centimetre shiff-arms jellyfish, shooting in black-and-white to emphasise the sensual form and the contrasting textures.' Shiff-arms, or football, jellyfish look dangerous, but are harmless - unless you are plankton. The ball-sized jellyfish feed on the tiny animals, plants and bacteria that drift in the ocean currents by sucking in sea water. They take the water in through their mouth arms, what look like tentacles hanging around their head and which are covered in many tiny pores. So they don't need stinging tentacles to attack prey.

Nikon D2x + 12-24mm f4 Nikkor lens; 1/500 sec at f16 (-0.7 compensation); ISO 100; Subal housing.

This photograph is available to buy as a print.