On this post, I want to share with you some videos we took while inside the Jellyfish Exhibit. They call this particular exhibit "Dancing with the Sea Fairies". By watching the videos below, you'll see why.
Moon Jellyfish - my favorite coz they look so elegant.
According to wikipedia:
Aurelia aurita (moon jelly, moon jellyfish, common jellyfish, saucer jelly) is one of a group of more than ten morphologically nearly identical jellyfish species in the genusAurelia.[1] In general, it is nearly impossible to identify Aurelia medusae without genetic sampling, so most of what follows about Aurelia aurita, could equally be applied to any species of the genus. The medusa is translucent, usually about 25–40 cm in diameter, and can be recognized by its four horseshoe-shaped gonads that are easily seen through the top of the bell. It feeds by collecting medusae, plankton and mollusks with its mucusy bell nematocyst-laden tentacles and bringing the prey into its body for digestion, but is capable of only limited motion; like other jellies it primarily drifts with the current, even when it is swimming.
Upside-Down Jellyfish - They look like pancakes! For some reason, they like sticking to the walls or to the floor. They don't float or swim like the others. If I find these things underwater, I'd probably mistake them for corals. Then it'll be too late before I realize I'd been stung! Ooohhh, dangerous!
According to wikipedia:
Cassiopea is a genus of scyphozoan jellyfish very commonly found in shallow mangrove swamps, mudflats, and turtle grass flats in Florida and various other similar environments around the world, where it lives usually upside-down on the bottom. Where found, there may be numerous individuals with varying shades of white, blue, green and brown. They have a mild sting since they are primarily photosynthetic, but sensitive individuals may have a stronger reaction. The stinging cells are excreted in a mucus; swimming over these jellies (especially using swim fins) may cause transparent, essentially invisible, sheets of this mucus to be lifted up into the water column, where they are then encountered by unsuspecting swimmers. The stings, appearing in the form of a red rash-like skin irritation, are notorious for being extraordinarily itchy.
According to Wikipedia:
The Jelly Blubber (Catostylus mosaicus), also known as the Blue Blubber Jellyfish, is the most commonly encountered jellyfish along the Australian eastern coast and large swarms sometimes appear in estuarine waters.In Sydney waters, the Jelly Blubber's large bell is a creamy white or brown colour, but farther north it is usually blue. This is because the jellyfish has developed a symbioticrelationship with algal plant cells that are kept inside its body. These plants vary in colour from region to region. The algae photosynthesise, converting sunlight into energy that can be used by the jellyfish. Its bell pulses in a distinctive, staccatolike rhythm. There is no obvious mouth on the underside, but there are small openings on each arm, through which food is passed to the stomach.The tentacles also have stinging cells that can capture tiny crustaceans and other plankton. This species can be distinguished by its conspicuous internal cross. They have very fleshy, three-winged arms around their mouths. A full complement is eight, but they are often seen with fewer arms or with pieces missing.
Spotted Jellyfish - They look like the stingless jellyfish in Siargao, only this one is not the stingless type. Yikes!
According to Wikipedia:
Phyllorhiza punctata is a species of jellyfish, also known as the Australian spotted jellyfish or the White-spotted jellyfish. It is native to the southwestern Pacific, where it feeds primarily on zooplankton. P. punctata average 45-50 cm in bell diameter but there had been a maximum reported size of 62 cm. However, in October, 2007, one 72 cm. wide, perhaps the largest ever recorded, was found on Sunset Beach, NC. In July 2007 smaller ones were seen in Bogue Sound much further north along the North Carolina Coast. They have only a mild venom and are not considered a threat to humans. However, their ability to consume plankton and the eggs and larvae of important fish species is cause for concern. Each jellyfish can filter as much as 13,200 gallons of sea water per day. While doing that, it ingests the plankton that native species need.
Amakusa Jellyfish or Sanderia Malayensis (Malaysian Jellyfish) - They look so elegant with their 4-feet long tentacles floating about but I bet those stings are deadly. @_@
I hope you got enticed by these beautiful stinging sea creatures. Til my next post!
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