Featured Image Credit: Thinkstock
Jellyfish are some of the most interesting looking creatures in the sea, and they are found in almost every ocean in the world. Although their presence can be unnerving, we have to admit that they are pretty cool as far as living creatures go. They have been on the planet since before the age of the dinosaurs and range in size from larger than a human to smaller than a pinhead. They are included in the phylum Cnidaria ( alongside organisms such as corals and sea anemones). They don;t quite get along with turtles – these gelatinous-like creature make up the base of a leatherback turtle’s diet.
1. Lion’s Mane
The Lion’s Mane jellyfish is confined to the cold, boreal waters of the Arctic and the northernmost parts of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The largest recorded specimen was found washed up on the shore of Massachusetts Bay in 1870 with a bell diameter of 7 feet 6 inches. These massive jellyfish are largely pelagic but tend to settle in shallow bays towards the end of their one year lifespan. They are fairly common in the English Channel and Irish Sea – Head that way if you want to see one!
2. Irukandji
This tiny species of jellyfish is related to the larger box jellyfish, but is only a few millimeters long. Although their sting is almost painless at first, but their venom is very powerful. After about 20 minutes their venom causes intense pain and possible cardiac arrest. They live off the northern coast of Australia – we’d advise being careful when you are swimming there!
3. Moon Jelly
The moon jelly is found worldwide in both tropical and temperate regions. They can grow about 18 inches wide and appear to be large clear blobs. Their lifespan is a whooping 25 years. They can “bloom” under the right conditions – a bloom is just a massive swarm of jellyfish.
4. Freshwater Jellyfish
We will admit: These are not technically jellyfish because they are hydrozoans (not from the phylum Cnidaria). They originally come from the Yangtze River in China, but have now been introduced worldwide. For most of their lives they are microscopic planuale, but under the right conditions they can “bloom” into the Medusa phase and grow to the size of a penny.
5. Nomura’s Jellyfish
Nomura’s jellyfish are one of the world’s largest – some of these jellyfish are slightly larger than the lion’s mane type. Their bells grow to roughly 6 feet 6 inches and they can weigh up to 450 pounds.
Global warming may be the cause of their increasing population. Their numbers have expanded to the point of disrupting the fishing industry of Japan. As they become more common, it is important to take care to avoid them in the oceans because their sting can be rather nasty.
Jellyfish may not be the usual crowd favorite – neither adorable nor cuddly. But we think they have a certain electrifying appeal and a claim to the sea as their home nonetheless. It is important to remember that when we are working on saving the ocean we are working to save all of the ocean and not just the most memorable creatures.