Largest and Smallest Jelly Fish

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Smallest

New Jellyfish

Jellyfish is known to be on earth even before the dinosaurs. These fascinating marine creatures are known to live in the oceans all over the world. In the past 20 years alone, scientists were able to discover 50 new species of jellies, by using scuba, manned and unmanned submersibles. There are 200 known species of jellyfish now, but recently, new species are being discovered around the world.

Researchers have identified a new species of jellyfish in the Monterey Submarine Canyon at a depth of 2,100 feet. They found a blood-red gelatinous ball measuring between 2 and 3 feet in diameter. It is an unusual and bizarre jellyfish, as it does not have any tentacles, but has between 4 and 7 short thick arms. Scientists believe this to be the first member of a new sub-family of jellyfish. This species has been named Tiburonia granrojo, and granrojo means "big red" in Spanish. It floats in the deep ocean waters and is a predator which devours its prey. Still not much is known about what it feeds on, and what it does. This jelly has been spotted more than 24 times, off the coast of California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii. They have been also spotted in Japanese waters by scientists at the Japan Marine Science and Technology Center.

The big red as it is now popularly called, captures its prey with the help of its fleshy arms. The number of arms, are known to differ between individual big reds. These jellies live at a depth of 650 to 1500 meters. It has taken scientists quite some time to classify this species and confirm that it indeed was a discovery of a new species.

A very recent discovery is by Lisa Gershwin who is a jellyfish expert. She was swimming near a jetty, off the coast of Tasmania, which is an Australian island, and came across a new jellyfish species which was luminous. This jellyfish does not emit its own light, but the rainbow glow emanates, from light reflected off the creature's cilia, which are hair-like projections that help this jellyfish to move through the water. The jellyfish is 5 inches long and is very fragile, as it shatters as soon as it touches a net. Studying this type of jellyfish, we might come to know how they are able to survive over long periods of time and how they respond to climate change in the future. This new species also belongs to Ctenophora, which are strange and not so well known group of animals. These pale orange color jellyfish do not sting, and initial examinations are indicating that they belong to the genus of Leucothea.

Another discovery made by Lisa Gershwin was in the seashore tank of Townsville aquarium. She found this tiny snout which was the size of a grain of rice. To everybody's surprise it was a jellyfish that looked like a flatworm. It belongs to the Coeloplana family, and is about a centimeter long. The mouth of this jellyfish is on its underside and the anus is wrapped around its brain. It cannot swim and it just glides along the bottom.

First Jellyfish

There are many different species of jellyfish in the world and they along with sponges, insects and vertebrates all belong to the group "Metazoa" and are all considered to have evolved from just one single ancestor, making them all related in one way or another however distant the relationship may be.

Although it is rather hard to pinpoint exactly when the first jellyfish was discovered it is known that Diploblasts, represented by jellyfish came about during the first of the major Metazoan radiation and are the first structurally primitive creatures that have a true nervous system. The polyorchis penicillatus jellyfish also known as the red-eye jellyfish, the bell medusa and also the bell-shaped jellyfish. These jellyfish have a bell or body which is at least equal in height as its width. They also possess around one hundred unbranched tentacles around the bell area all of which are evenly spaced out. When this jellyfish is swimming the tentacles may be contracted unlike when drifting in which instance the tentacles may be twice the length of the jellyfish's body. There are references of this jellyfish as far back as Eschscholtz, 1829.

There is much research available which dates back to the eighteenth century but the references made are generally to jellyfish as a whole rather than a particular species. Jellyfish have been around for hundreds of millions of years. It is possible in fact, that jellyfish were actually around before the dinosaurs roamed the earth, and there have even been suggestions of the possibility of the existence of "immortal" jellyfish. Fossils of jellyfish are rather rare to find purely because the jellyfish when fully grown are 95% water which means they do not actually leave behind any skeletal matter which in turn makes the chances of the jellyfish corpse creating a fossil quite slim.

It is thought that although they may have made a few changes throughout the millions of years they have existed for, jellyfish are still fairly much the same as they were back in the dinosaur ages, making only slight adaptations during evolution that were crucial to survival. One thing that is for certain is that the jellyfish species have found a way to survive on earth throughout the many changes the planet has gone through within the last 200 or more million years. From the ice age up until today with our increasing global temperatures, the jellyfish still survive and with the warmer global climates they even seem to be flourishing. Jellyfish are said to come from the same singular-cell ancestor as other sea creatures such as sea sponges and anemones which also have managed to survive the test of time.

There is no doubt that no matter how old jellyfish are, they are majestic and somewhat mystical sea dwelling creatures. In many old sea themed artworks from days when Vikings still sailed the seas, you can see many pictures which depict these gelatinous wonders all throughout the waters around the ship and there have even been primitive cave pictures found which appear to be depicting jellyfish.

Neon Jellyfish

Jellyfish have always been adept in springing surprises at humans. The wide range of shapes, wide variety of colors, and innumerable sizes and designs on the body of these Jellyfish have always been a sight to behold.

One such surprise was encountered by a Jellyfish expert in Tasmania. The fish expert is named Lisa Gershwin and she is responsible for the Jellyfish department of the local Museum and art gallery. She was out swimming in Tasmania, near a local jetty, when her eyes fell on this marvelous sight. She saw a Jellyfish with light being emitted from its body. This was her 159th discovery of Jellyfish.

Jellyfish do not have any kind of pigments in its body which emit light. But the neon Jellyfish are just a creation of light reflection. The cilia or hair like extensions on the body of these Jellyfish helps them in loco motion. When the light falls on these cilia and is reflected back, there is a beautiful rainbow formation with the Jellyfish looking like as if it is self illuminated.

But these neon Jellyfish are quite small, only 13 cms in length. The beauty of these creatures is quite short lived as they are very fragile and can shatter in to pieces on hitting a net.

These neon Jellyfish are also called as Rainbow Jellyfish. They look as dazzling as a colorful Rainbow with their myriad of colors. It is a visual delight to see them at night or in dimly lighted waters. The rainbow colors glow so vibrantly in the background of the dark black waters at night.

These Neon or Rainbow Jellyfish have been a collector's delight and are a sure shot item on every popular aquarium's list of members.

Moon Light Jellyfish

Moon light Jellyfish are known to be extremely quiet eaters. They do not attack humans, perhaps a small sting but not too horrible, more like a crab bite from the waters. The moon light jellyfish can also be referred to as the Aurelia aurita species. This is a large category that may include a variety of types of jellyfishes. It is almost impossible to distinguish the moon light jellyfish from its relatives, unless the genetic material is tested scientifically.

The average moon light jellyfish is translucent and is about 30 to 40 centimetres long. It has bright gonads that originate from its stomach, they are more likely to be shaped like horse shoes. Their swimming and feeding movements are all directed solely by one single nerve within the jellyfish. Due to the limited central nerve, the moon light jellyfish has very limited movement. It is usually seen lazily drifting around the waters of the ocean.

The moon light jellyfish kills prey by stinging them with its long tentacles, of course like every other existing jellyfish does. The type of prey the hung fall under the category of organisms like protozoans, molluscs, fish, fish eggs and crustaceans. They feed on very small prey since they are very small themselves. These jellyfish are prey to many other predators as well. Specific types of birds are known to consume moon light jellyfish. Certain fish and sea turtles also feed on these tiny moon light jellyfishes.

Here's an interesting fact, humans consume moon light jellyfish as well. They are incredibly popular within the international Asian food market. Moon light jelly fish prefer temperature that is about 9 degrees Celsius to 20 degrees Celsius. They are liable to stay alive in absolutely freezing water or hot tropical waters with temperatures higher than thirty degrees Celsius.

Pelagia Noctiluca

The Pelagia Noctiluca is known to be an extraordinarily beautiful jellyfish. It is said that its luminescence is almost magical and therapeutic during the night for many viewers. This beauty however can be frightening if one considers the possible factor that the Pelagia Noctiluca are known to attack humans. Their stings are extremely painful.

This jellyfish is found mostly in the waters of Bermuda, in warm and temperate waters. They have also been spotted within the Mediterranean Sea, the Adriatic Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and the coast of California. The jellyfish has an appearance hue of a shade between pink and purple. Hence their appearance they have two nick corresponding nick names; the mauve (french word for purple) stinger and the purple striped jelly. They have blue and brown beautiful pigments adorning their elegant bodies. The Pelagia Noctiluca has eight tentacles, each reaches an approximate length of ten meters. It also has sixteen pouches and sixteen lappets.

The Pelagia Noctiluca is known to feed on several in sea creatures such as fish eggs, Copepoda, Cladocera and even Hydromedusaes. When the jellyfish touches a prey, chemicals are released that immediately paralyse the prey and the tentacles then reach around the prey and suck it in to devour it. The Pelagia Noctiluca likes to feed on small animals and that is why it simply floats around touching prey as it goes and eats. That is why during the day and night they are seen to be beautifully floating around the sea waters and consistently searching for food as they swim along the waters. They are known to come close to shores during the winter as well. Since these elegant purple swimmers have no commercial benefits, hence they have no risk of being endangered by human factors. Stay off the coast in the winter!

Chironex Fleckeri

The Chrionex Fleckeri is an absolutely amazing but brutal predator of the sea world. It falls under the animal kingdom called Animalia. It is also known as the Sea Wasp or the Box Jellyfish. This jellyfish is an extremely hazardous predator. It is known to kill faster than crocodiles and sharks combined, which are the most dangerous predators of their respective land and water domains. The Chrionex Fleckeri can kill exactly 60 human adults within three minutes. The number is sixty because each person is attacked by one tentacle. Hence, the Chrionex Fleckeri has sixty tentacles, is fifteen feet long and can swim as fast as five feet per second. This is absolutely amazing!

The Chrionex Fleckeri can be found within the the tropical areas of the Indo-West Pacific are, Southern and Eastern Asia, Northern Australia and the Gulf of Mexico, which is very close to Texas. They are an immense threat to children swimming on the edges of the beach, any surfers or divers. These jellyfishes are any human's worst nightmare.

The Chrionex Fleckeri, a complex killer, is itself a very simple organism. The body of this jellyfish is symmetrical and it contains specialized and developed tissue cells. This species of jellyfish is a carnivore. It feeds on any small fish swimming around, hence jellyfish are a bad affecting factor to any fishing industry, shrimp, prawns, sergestid and humans! These jellyfish are known to cause immense pain to any human. A jellyfish attack is noticeable if a person has slashes of acid attack seen on their skin. Each whip is a whip of fire. It is absolutely agonizing and feels like hot iron being whipped. The Chrionex Fleckeri is a pale blue jellyfish and is very close to being invisible within the water due to its amazing transparent characteristics.

Cassiopeia Jellyfish

Cassiopeia is not the common name used to refer to this species of jellyfish. It's the genus name, for the Cassiopeia xamachana, the upside down jellyfish. It is an anatomical beauty from the rarity of its physique. From its naming, it's apparent that this jellyfish has an upside down orientation. Its tentacles hang over its head. They are short and reach a length of 14 inches. It has a transparent body, though not a pale blue one like most other distant relatives. It is a carnivorous species, feeding on small fish and invertebrates though it doesn't mind taking a bite of zoo plankton every once in a while.

Among the species that would add great color to an aquarium would be this one in precision. There are a couple of reasons supporting that. One is that its sting is harmless. Sure it will sting, but the after effects are so few that you will hardly feel it. It prefers living in the tropical salt water bodies and has a life span of about a year at best.

There is trouble in keeping the Cassiopeia jellyfish however. Not when it comes to the dietary requirements, but with the maintenance. It needs an aquarium with no corners. Its anatomical being makes corners perilous places where it can get caught on and die. The microorganisms residing inside it need a good supply of lighting for optimum survival. The water requirements also need to be maintained at best. That is because most of the jellyfish is water. Needs to be salty and warm, as it would be in the tropical seas. On a normal day, you would expect to find it rested on the aquarium floor. Any quick glance and you might not be able to notice it, because of its top facing tentacles.

King Jellyfish

The term king is used in various citations in the animal kingdom in reference to the animal with the biggest kind of superiority. With snakes, the term king is used in reference to the most dangerous venomous snake. In this case, it is the king cobra. Not that it is the most venomous snake, but the dosage that it administers is the most fatal. Looking at it in that similar context, the king jellyfish can easily be the box jellyfish.

This little critter is the most poisonous jellyfish in the deep. Its nematocysts hold the most fatal venom, which goes for the cardiovascular and the nervous system. The worst part is the accompanying pain. On a couple of occasions it has been described as unbearable and overbearing. Treating with vinegar has been considered as a first aid measure, but there is only so much it can do, because with the pain, it does nothing to alleviate it. Statistically speaking, without immediate treatment, the chances of survival of a box jellyfish sting are slim to none, especially for someone with a weak heart.

There are times when king is not used to cite the deadliness of the creature, but rather its size. Size always comes as a form of superiority in the animal kingdom, and with the jellyfish, its no exception. There are various species that surpass the normal dimensions of a deep sea jelly, and pointing one down to the king would not be accurately correct. But from a general point of view, the Nomura Jellyfish has been considered to rule the waters of the Eastern Pacific near the territorial waters of Japan. It is huge, and weighs over 300kgs, which for an animal without a skeletal system, is a big deal. In some far fetched classification, it can be considered as the king jellyfish.

Physalia Jellyfish

The Physalia jellyfish, scientifically regarded to as Physalia physalis is the term used to refer to the Portuguese Man 'O War. It is among the most feared of jellyfish probably because of its stinging and tropical abundance. It is mostly located in the salt water bodies in the tropics. The Atlantic and Pacific oceans are the dense water bodies that have an abundance of this species of jellyfish.

The Physalia Jellyfish or generally, the Portuguese Man 'o war, is a blue transparent jelly with a large air bladder that it uses for encouraging floatation. In the event of an apparent danger, the jelly can easily deflate the air bladder and swim down to the deep. It has long tentacles that can reach a span of 165 feet. These tentacles have nematocysts that house the poison. Though not considered fatal unless administered in high dosages, the venom of the jelly does not suffice to cause a fatality. The pain on the other hand is excruciating, though it can be alleviated by administering of the right kind of first aid.

Most people are advised to steer clear of this jellyfish potentially because its tentacles still have the stinging power, days after they have been detached from the main body. That goes for washed up and dead Physalia jellyfish washed up on the shore as well. As dead as they may seem, they can still sting and cause severe pain, but nothing too unbearable.

The Physalia Jellyfish does not sit on top of the food chain. It is a carnivore, but does have some natural enemies, including the loggerhead turtle. The turtle has such thick body covering that the jelly cannot be able to penetrate. For anyone else the Portuguese Man O' War is a threat, but for an overhead turtle it's just your ordinary snack.

Square Jellyfish

The square jellyfish is a vivid description of the anatomical appearance of this kind of jellyfish which appears cuboidal in shape. Usually the right kind of name for identification is the box jellyfish. They belong to the Cubozoa class and the number of species total to over 19. The best known kind of square (or as from here on end box) jellyfish is the Chironex fleckeri which holds the most toxic poison in the entire animal kingdom. The venom targets the cardio-respiratory system. The breathing muscles collapse and the stung person dies from suffocation, shock and from the pain which has been described as extremely overbearing. Statistically, the box jellyfish is the prime killer, ahead of all other animal dangers including sharks and the salty water crocodiles in the Australian region where they are found in abundance.

In terms of their anatomy, the box jellyfish is as simple as jellies are generally known, and measures 20cm in diameter, with tentacles reaching a maximum length of three meters. In mass, the jelly can reach up to 2kg. Their size is not tied to their weight since their anatomies denies them of the most basic organs including the brain. They have no skeletal support system either.

Box jellyfish are camouflage experts. They are transparent pale blue, which makes them hardly noticeable in the water. That means that if one was to sting you, you would hardly see it coming. The box jellyfish prefer the warm waters, in contrast to other species. In the winters, Australian winters that is, the possibility of finding some is very minute.

It's important to note at this point that not all species of square or box jellyfish are fatal to human. This is reserved to only a few of these, with the C. fleckeri, being the most venomous among them.

Sun Jellyfish

The Sun Jellyfish a member of the marine life species that is very unique. It is different from other fish based on its shape and other factors making it one of the most individual water forms in the world. The Jellyfish is a species belonging the scyphozoan class of marine life in the invertebrates. The name of scyphozoan is derived from the Greek name "skyphos" meaning "a drinking cup" and is used to describe the jellyfish based on their shape.

The jellyfish are located in the ocean around the world. They have a lifetime about three to six months. There are two forms of bodies for the jellyfish, the polyp stage occurs when they are in the sessile stalk form. During this stage, they have their mouths and tentacles facing upwards. This is how they catch their food that is passing them in the water. The second stage is the normal body structure and the most popular stage for the jellyfish. During this stage, they are in the umbrella shape referred to as the bell shape. The body structure of the jellyfish is known as the medusa and tentacles since the jellyfish hang from the border of the bell shape. The jellyfish's body consists of 90 -94% water.

The body of the jellyfish is made up of gastrodermis, an epidermis, and mesoglea. They do not have a central nervous system, respiratory system, an osmoregulatory system or a circulatory system. They use the same orifice to take in food and expulse of wastes since they have an incomplete digestive system. Jellyfish does not have any sensory organs or a brain. They have a small sensory organ located near its bell. This organ is called the rhophalia. They use the rhophalia and to identify odor and light. Jellyfish use their nerve net for detection of other organisms and it is located in the epidermis region.

Groups of jellyfish are referred to as a smack. They feed on large metazoan, other small fish, and small protozoa in the water. They typically trap the food in their tentacles yet there are some jellyfish that do not have any tentacles. To reproduce, the male jellyfish release their sperm into the water and the sperm travels to the female's mouth. This is how the females' ova are fertilized. Jellyfish lodge their eggs in their oral armpits where a chamber is formed for fertilization.

The most important defense mechanism of the jellyfish is the tentacles. The tentacles are covered with stinging cells called cnidocytes. Since the jellyfish do have any motion in water, they are hampered and not considered hydrodynamic. The lack of motion affects their swimming speeds so it is important for them to create water currents, which reaches their tentacles. To generate the current, the jellyfish flex their bells in an open and close simulation in a rhythm. To swim, jellyfish contract and expand their bodies. They do not have shells or scales so when they are exposed to the sun they seem to disappear, leaving only a filmed circle. Due to their invisibility in the sun, jellyfish are toxic and can cause death to humans. Generally, the sting of the jellyfish is extremely painful and attributed to various allergies in humans.

Jellyfish have a difficult life in captivity in comparison to other marine animals. They are not accustomed to the bound aquariums since they require the natural currents for their means of transportation.

Blue Bottle Jellyfish

Blue bottle jellyfish is so-called in Australia and New Zealand where it is also commonly known as Blue Bubble Jellyfish. Elsewhere in the world, this creature is usually called the Man of War or Portuguese Man o' War, since it resembles a Portuguese battleship with a sail.

The blue Bottle Jellyfish (Physalia utriculus), although commonly mistaken for a jellyfish is not a jellyfish at all. It is not even a single organism. It is, in fact, a colony of four minute zooids. These four zooids are highly specialized and perform different functions. They cannot live independently, as they can only serve one single function, but together, as a colony of four zooids, they can function as well as a unified organism.

One of the four zooids performs the function of an air bladder. It allows the blue bottle jellyfish to float. It may be 9 to 30 centimeters in length and may extend as much as 15 centimeters above the surface of the water. In the event that the blue bottle jellyfish is being attacked from the surface of the water, this air bladder is capable of deflating and allowing the blue bottle to sink under the water and escape the attack.

Below the main body of the blue are its tentacles. They are an average of one meter in length, but under certain conditions are known to grow as long as 50 meters. Each of these tentacles is lined with numerous nematocysts that contain the highly toxic venom of the blue bottle. When the tentacles come in contact with a prey, the nematocysts are activated and the toxin is infected into the flesh of the prey. It is sufficient to kill small prey like shrimp and young fish. The tentacles then help transport the food towards the digestive polyps, the gastrozooids, another type of polyp that digests the food with powerful enzymes. These venom filled tentacles also protects the blue bottle jellyfish from large predators. The toxins are strong enough to paralyze large fish, if not kill it, and enable a getaway.

When the blue bottles come in contact with humans, they react in exactly the same way as they would when faced with danger, and they sting us. Blue bottle jellyfish stings are known to be extremely painful. The sting can cause an extremely painful rash which doesn't subside for at least an hour after the sting. While the sting in itself does not cause any major effects in the human body, a sensitive individual who is prone to allergies can have an extreme reaction to the toxins in the blue bottle's venom. An allergic reaction can lead to fever, heart and lung failure and may even lead to death, even though it is extremely rare. Additionally, if a person has received multiple stings, he may be at risk of very severe pain and will require immediate medical attention. It is also important to remember that detaches tentacles of a blue bottle are also capable to delivering a sting for a few hours after detachment.

Ball Jellyfish

Jellyfish are found in practically all the oceans of the world and they come in different colors, shapes and sizes. The general body shape is of a bell or an umbrella, with tentacles dangling below its body. The body consists of more than 95% water, and is of a gelatinous mass, and hence the name. There are about 200 species of this fascinating marine animal, and some new species are still being discovered.

The Stomolophus meleagris is one of the species of jellyfish, and is called the cannonball or the cabbage head jellyfish, more commonly. The shape of this jellyfish represents a little more than half of a hemisphere of a globe. Some of them look more like a large egg-shaped mushroom. Their color ranges from shades of milky brown to yellow. These jellyfish are mostly found in waters with an average temperature of 23.1 degrees Centigrade. They have been reported in the western Atlantic, in the waters from New England to Brazil, from southern California to Ecuador in the eastern Pacific and from the Sea of Japan to the South China Sea in the western Pacific.

The cannonball jellyfish mainly preys on the zooplankton, mollusk larvae and red drum larvae. They are harmless, as they do not sting humans. This jellyfish differs from the other species, in the fact that it has a more muscular body, and is a strong horizontal and directional swimmer. It pumps water, with its eight arms and is able to swim quite efficiently in the ocean.

The nutrient content of the cannonball jellyfish is quite high compared to other jellyfish. The cannonball jellyfish is a main source of food for the leatherback turtle and other marine animals. The collagen in its body is very rich in protein, and this makes it an important source of food in places where there is less of protein available in other foods. It is considered a delicacy in Japan, and dieters find this food excellent as it is low in calories. The fat and cholesterol content is very low. The flesh of this jellyfish has been used in Asian medicines, since ancient times, and is known to cure arthritis, bronchitis and high blood pressure.

The cannonball jellyfish is fished extensively, using surface trawlers. The only drawback is that, it gets spoilt very fast, unless you process it. The process to preserve this jellyfish is a simple rubbing of salt, to draw out all the water from its tissues. The processed jellyfish can be exported,as it will stay for weeks without getting spoilt.

The life cycle of the cannonball jellyfish, consists of the eggs, planulae state, polyps and finally the medusa state where it is fully mature, and starts to reproduce again. They reproduce sexually in the medusa state, through fertilising the eggs, and then in the polyps state, they reproduce asexually through budding.

Cannonball jellyfish are dependent on the abundance of zooplankton for their survival. Therefore it is necessary to see that the water quality near the shores is not affected in a way that would decrease the zooplankton. Precautions should be taken against oil spills and harmful algal blooms and non-point source pollution.

Moon Jellyfish

The Moon Jellyfish (Aurelia aurita) is also known as the moon jelly, common jellyfish or saucer jellyfish. The name Moonjelly fish can refer to a specific species of jellyfish Aurelia aurita, but can also refer to all jellyfish species in the genus Aurelia. Because they are extremely similar to each other and can only be distinguished genetically, the entire species in the genus Aureilia is commonly referred to as Moon Jellyfish. We do not yet know exactly how many species of jellyfish belong to this common genus; new species are discovered regularly.

The medusa, or the bell of the moon jellyfish can range between 5 to 40 cm in size. Their medusa, or bell, is translucent and often has a pattern of stripes or spots. The four horseshoe shaped gonads of the moon jellyfish are easily visible through its translucent bell and offer the simplest way to identify a moon jellyfish. The moon jellyfish, unlike some other species of jellyfish, has both oral arms and tentacles to facilitate its feeding process.

The moon jellyfish are commonly found in coastal regions in warm and temperate waters. They are found in almost all the waters of the world between 70 degrees N and 40 degrees S, but are most abundant in Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. They are also known to inhabit inland seas and sometimes, even brackish waters. In brackish waters, however, the bell of the moon jellyfish is a lot flatter due to decreased salinity. Although moon jellyfish can withstand salinity as low as 0.6%, they thrive best in waters with relatively high salinity. Moon jellyfish can also withstand temperatures between -6 degrees C and 31 degrees C, their optimum temperature range is between 9 degrees C and 19 degrees C.

Like most other jellyfish are only capable of an upward thrust on their own and essentially depend upon the tides and currents of the waters to keep them suspended and for horizontal movement. Moon jellyfish usually stay near the surface of the water and travel with the tides.

The Moon jellyfish is carnivorous and mainly feeds on plankton like mollusks, crustaceans and copepods. They are also known to feed on zooplankton like hydromedusae and ctenophores. Moon jellyfish of all ages are equipped with venom filled nematocysts on their tentacles to help them procure food by stinging their victim and trapping in within mucus. On the other hand, moon jellyfish are fed upon by a number of large fish and the sea turtle. Even some marine birds are known to feed on moon jellyfish, especially because moon jellyfish tend to stay close to the surface of the water.

Moon jellyfish reproduce sexually and have both males and females in the species. They are most likely to be sexually mature around spring and summer of each year.

Moon Jellyfish are the most commonly kept species of jellyfish, in both public aquariums and by serious hobbyists. If you have visited an aquarium that keeps jellyfish, you are very likely to have seen specimens of these species.

The sting of the moon jellyfish is not fatal or dangerous to humans. In severe cases, the victim may experience some stinging sensation on the surface of the skin where he/she has been stung.

White Spotted Jellyfish

The White Spotted Jellyfish or Phyllorhiza punctata, is a native of Australia and is also known as the Australian spotted jellyfish. It grows to the size of about 45-50 centimeters in diameter, and is ocassionally known to grow to a maximum length of just a little over 60 centimeters in size. They look extremely beautiful with the design of white spots over their translucent gelatinous body and their frilly oral arms add another aspect of charm to their appearance. Additionally, they are fairly harmless and their sting contains only mild venom which does not cause any serious effect or reaction in humans. Application of vinegar can cure the little burning sensation that may be caused by the sting. In most cases, just washing the location of the sting with salt water is sufficient measure to rid oneself of the minor effects of the white spotted jellyfish sting.

Even though they appear very dainty and harmless, the Australian white spotted jellyfish poses a different kind of threat to the marine ecosystems. White spotted jellyfish are like sponges in that they too filter a lot of sea water in a day in search for food and nutrition. They primarily feed on microscopic plankton which are present in large quantities in marine water. However, the problem arises with the fact that they can filter as much as 13,200 gallons of sea water everyday! Additionally, white spotted jellyfish are often found in large swarms, and the intake of planktons by a large swarm of white spotted jellyfish can be extremely high. This means that their consumption of the plankton is extremely high.

This causes a grave threat to the fragile balance of the marine ecosystem. There are a number of other marine creatures like coral and sea anemones and even the whale that depend on this microscopic plankton for their food. The consumption of plankton by a large swarm of white spotted jellyfish leaves little of no food for a number of these species and they face the threat of death due to non availability of food. This is already becoming a huge problem along the coastline of Australia which is the original habitat of the white spotted jellyfish.

This problem posed by the white spotted jellyfish has become aggravated due to their involuntary migration to the Gulf of Mexico. It is believed that the white spotted jellyfish may have gotten trapped in the ballast tank of a marine vessel and got transported to the Gulf of Mexico. Another opinion offered is that the polyps of the white jellyfish may have attached themselves to the bottom of marine vessels in order to form a hydroid colony and got transported to the Gulf of Mexico where they matured into medusae and finally, adult jellyfish. Whatever be the cause of this transportation, the white spotted jellyfish got introduced to the Gulf of Mexico region where they can now be found in large numbers. The native marine species in the Gulf of Mexico are now beginning to face the problem of non availability of plankton due to the presence of the white spotted jellyfish.

Blue Blubber

Blue Jelly (Catostylus mosaicus) is a species of jellyfish in the Rhizostomeae order. It is characterized by a lack of tentacles at the margin of the jellyfish's body. Instead, it has about 8 oral arms. These oral arms become fused with the body of the jellyfish near the centre of its body. What is fascinating about the oral arms of the blue blubber is that they have minute mouths at the end of the oral arms that themselves transport food to the stomach!

This species is easily distinguished by its oral arms and the presence of internal cross-like design. These are actually the gonads of the blue blubber that are visible through its gelatinous body, which is semi-transparent. Although, blue blubbers usually have eight oral arms, a number of specimens have been found with just three or four oral arms. Also, the oral arms of the blue blubber have a certain three-pronged shape that makes them easy to identify.

Blue blubbers are amongst those species of jellyfish that maintain a symbiotic relationship with unicellular algae. These algae are photosynthetic in nature and they reside in the body of the blue blubber. These algae use sunlight to produce energy and carbon rich nutrition. The alga also provides this nutrition to its carrier blue blubber. Thus, a large part of the blue blubbers nutrition comes from the food matter provided by the algae.

However, this implies that the blue blubber needs to be close the surface of the water to get maximum sunlight for this process of photosynthesis. However, the nutrition provided by the algae is not sufficient for the blue blubber. It also needs to hunt and feed itself. After sundown, the blue blubber descends to lower parts of the water to feed on microscopic food. The size of its miniscule mouths at the end of the oral arms restrict intake of food larger than minute planktons and zooplanktons. However, the blue blubber is able to derive enough nourishment between the two sources of food.

The blue blubber uses its oral arms to capture its food. Its oral arms are lined with numerous nematocysts that contain venomous stings. When blue blubbers come in contact with a prey, they inject their venom into the prey in order to kill or paralyze it. Once the prey is immobilized, the blue blubber eats it with its tiny mouths. The blue blubber uses the same mechanism to defend itself from predatory animals. In the case of humans, the toxins in the venom of blue blubbers does not cause any harm. Very sensitive individuals may develop an itchy rash or have an allergic reaction.

The blue blubber has recently been in the news for the nuisance it has been causing off the coast of Australia. The number of blue blubbers on the coasts of Australia has increased tremendously over the last few years because of the absence of the predators, caused by over-fishing. These large swarms of blue blubbers are clogging the water intakes on ships and power stations, and are also ruining fishing nets and poisoning the catch

Box Jellyfish - Sea Wasp Jellyfish

Box jellyfish are marine invertebrates belonging to the phylum Cnidaria. Unlike most jellyfish that belong to the to the class Scyphozoa, box jellyfish belong to the class Cobozoa, so-called because of their characteristic cube-like shape. They are also considered far more complex than their Scyphozoan counterparts. The sea wasp or Chironex fleckeri, is one of the nineteen species that belong to this class.

Sea wasps are best known as the most deadliest creatures in the world, whether on land or in water. Creatures are rated for their deadliness by taking into account two factors:

How many people an ounce of the creature's venom can kill
How long it takes you to die from the venom after being bitten, stung, or stuck
In both respect, the deadliness of the sea wasp far outpaces those of any other creature known to man. An ounce of sea wasp venom can kill as many as 60 adult humans and it can cause human death in less than 3 minutes. This means that if you have been stung by the jellyfish while you were swimming, surfing or diving a little further away from the coastline, you may not even be able to reach to the shoreline in time to get medical attention. Only one instance of survival after a sting from the box jellyfish has been recorded and that was Ian McCormick, a New Zealander who survived not one but five stings by the box jellyfish on his arm. However, he has attributed this miracle to divine intervention and seems to be no other scientific explanation for it.

Box Jellyfish are normally found in waters surrounding Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and Philippines. In Australia, the box jellyfish season usually lasts from October to April every year. In Hawaii, however, there does not seem to be any indication of a box jellyfish season and they are usually sighted throughout the year, usually 8 to 10 days after the full moon night. Box jellyfish are mostly found in shallow waters and prefer being near the intersection of the ocean and rivers, if there are any.

In the recent past, there has been an explosion in the population of jellyfish in Australian waters. The main causes are attributed to climate change and drastic reduction of jellyfish predators due to over fishing. Whatever the cause, the number of deaths caused by the sting of the box jellyfish has also risen dramatically and has become a serious cause for alarm.

While it is difficult to save the life of a person heavily stung by a box jellyfish, there are measures to prevent getting stung by the box jellyfish. The best method is, of course, precaution and prevention. If you are aware of any box jellyfish sightings in the water, it is best not to venture into it at all. Additionally, there are special wet suits available that can prevent the wearer from getting stung by box jellyfish specifically. Nylon pantyhose is also know to be an effective method of preventing a box jellyfish sting.

Sand Jellyfish

Sand Jellyfish (Rhopilema asamushi or Rhopilema esculenta) is a species of jellyfish from the genus Rhopilema. Other species of jellyfish belonging to this group include Rhopilema hispidum and Rhopilema nomadic. They are inhabitants of the Indian Ocean and are found in locations like Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, China and some parts of the North Atlantic coastline. This species of jellyfish is very to rare to find in marine waters around the American coastlines.

Sand jellyfish is so called because of their distinct coloration and because the surface of the skin appears to have a granular texture. The bell of the sand jellyfish normally grows between 2- 4.5 cm in diameter. Unlike a number of other jellyfish, the sand jellyfish does not appear to have any distinct pattern of pigmentation. The bell has a definite curvature and the jellyfish appears dome-shaped. There are about 8 oral arms that emerge from the centre of the jellyfish. They are fused and appear like a mass of smoothed fur. They usually protrude out of the middle of the sand jellyfish like an inverted pyramid. This part of the sand jellyfish's body is perhaps its stoutest part and appear thick and leathery. A number of frills and filament may appear to be hanging from these oral arms.

The fascinating aspect of the sand jellyfish is that the edges of its oral arms appear to be inflatable. When they are deflated, they appear like thin threads of white-ish color, but when they are inflated, they resemble puffy spears. Lamentably, little is known about this particular species of jellyfish and the purpose of this facility of inflation is not yet determined. We also do not now very much about their reproductive functions, or their feeding habits. In captivity, they have not responded to freshly hatched baby brine shrimp or thawed mysis shrimp and we do not know how they derive their nutrition. However, research is ongoing and reports from these studies should be available in the near future.

We do know that the jellyfish are capable of stinging because there are records of humans being stung by them. The effects of the sting are known to be mild, usually resulting in an itchy rash and a burning sensation. A more severe effect can occur in a sensitive individual or if one has an allergic reaction to the toxins present in the venom.

Sand jellyfish is enjoyed as food in a number of eastern and south eastern Asian countries like Japan and China. Nutritionally, sand jellyfish are known to contain a fat-free protein and vitamins A and B, and also have been reputed to lower blood pressure. In fact, the demand for sand jellyfish as food is so high that large scale sand jellyfish production operations have begun in earnest. China seems to be eager to capitalize on the economic importance of this export commodity and is doing continual biological research environmental impact of aquaculture activities and culture techniques to enhance the production of sand jellyfish without risking the fragile balance of the marine ecosystem

Comb Jellyfish

Comb jellyfish is, in fact, not a jellyfish at all. Jellyfish as a species belong to the phylum, Cnidaria. On the other hand, comb jellies are an entire separate phylum themselves called Ctenophora. The phylum derives it name from a common characteristic shared by the member species, namely a series of vertical ciliary combs that cover the surface of the animal. The word ctnophora is derived from the Greek words ctene, or "comb", and phora, or "bearer". Both, Cnidaria and Ctenophora fall under the same infrakingdom, Coelenterata, and share a number of similarities.

Ctenophores are usually colorless and transparent, although some species are known to have red, black, orange or golden pigmentation. They mostly grow between a size of few centimeters to a foot and half long. Ctenophores tend to have a rainbow effect on the surface of their bodies, even though they are not bioluminescent.

The body of the ctenophores is made up of two layers, the ectoderm (the outer layer) and the gastroderm (the inner layer. The ectoderm is a double layer of cells covered in a mucus-like substance that is secreted by special glands. The gastroderm contains a small cavity that is the stomach and is connected to the mouth with a long gullet. The gullet contains strong enzymes to help digest the food, so that by the time the food reaches the stomach, it is already half digested. The food gets fully digested in the stomach and the waste product is expelled from the body through the mouth itself, and sometimes, through two anal pores that are used very infrequently. The space in between the two layers is filled with a jelly like layer, the mesoglea.

Most known species of comb jellies are spherical or oval in shape and have an extraordinary sense organ, the statocyst, which is at one end of the body. On the other end is the mouth. There are eight comb rows that extend from near the statocyst and they serve as oars to facilitate movement. Each comb row is made up of a series of transverse plates of very large cilia and they are usually fused at the base. These are called combs and they comb jellies derive their name from them.

Some species of comb jellies have two tentacles that emerge from the middle of their bodies and are retractable. Unlike species from the Cnidaria phylum, these tentacles do not have stinging cells, but 'colloblasts' or 'lasso cells'. When the tentacle comes in contact with the prey, sticky threads emerge from the from the colloblasts and entangle the prey.

Ctenophores are free-floating creatures and inhabit almost all the marine waters of the world. Except for one particular species which is parasitic in nature, all comb jellies are carnivorous by nature. Their primary diet usually consists of microscopic plankton and zooplankton. But, comb jellies are also known to consume some young fish, larvae of other animals like crabs, clams and oysters, copepods, worms, small crustaceans and even some species of the Cnidaria phylum