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Gelata are one of the least understood animal groups inhabiting the world. The information that we have about them comes from disparate studies of limited locations around the globe. Study samples are gathered mainly with tow nets which destroy the creatures’ delicate bodies. The animals’ deconstructed gelatinous pieces let us identify the species on a genetic level, but give no information on how they live or how they interact amongst themselves and with the world surrounding them. We often can’t even tell what they look like. Although highly-focused studies of various gelata are regularly carried out, a comprehensive study of these organisms has never been conducted.

What we know about gelata, however, shows how important studying them is. It has been noted that as fish populations decrease in certain areas (due to overfishing or environmental factors), gelata swarm the waters. They then prevent fish repopulation by feeding on organic substances that serve as fish food and even on young fish themselves.