Comb jellies, or ctenophores, are marine animals found across virtually every ocean habitat — from coastlines to open water, and from the surface down to the deep sea. Ctenophores occupy a critical position on the tree of life for understanding the origin of animals and are vital players in the health and balance of our ocean ecosystems.
On August 24–25, 2026, 49 participants from 28 different institutions across eight countries gathered in Monterey, California for the 2nd international meeting of ctenophore biologists (ctenophorologists) at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI). The meeting called Ctenopalooza Ctwo was co-organized by Whitney Lab's Dr. Joseph Ryan along with MBARI researchers Dr. Steven Haddock and Dr. George Matsumoto. It featured more than 40 presentations spanning the full breadth of ctenophore research, from cutting-edge molecular science and deep-sea husbandry to wild behavior, taxonomy, and public science outreach.
The roots of Ctenopalooza Ctwo stretch back to 2016, when 75 researchers from 12 countries convened at the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience in St. Augustine, FL for the first international meeting of ctenophorologists, organized by Whitney Lab's Dr. Joseph Ryan and Dr. Christine Schnitzler, along with Dr. Sid Tamm of Boston University. That landmark gathering helped chart the course of ctenophore research for the decade that followed, and its influence was unmistakable at this year's MBARI meeting, where many of the themes it first brought to the forefront were on full display.
2016 Ctenopalooza
2026 Ctenopalooza Ctwo
Photo by Rose Dalrymple © MBARI
MBARI hosts workshop to share latest research on comb jellies • MBARI
Top Image: Dr. Joseph Ryan delivers the opening welcome at Ctenopalooza Ctwo, the 2nd International Meeting of Ctenophore Biologists, held August 24–25, 2024, at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in Monterey, California. Photo by Rose Dalrymple © MBARI