Fun Facts

Jellyfish | Scyphozoa | Sea Jellies 

Jellyfish are any planktonic marine member of invertebrate species of the Scyphozoa class, with a bell or saucer shaped body and trailing tentacles. Jellyfish have arrived at the CBA this year much earlier than usual, and the reason has to be the extra warm temperatures we have endured this summer increasing the water temperatures to ultra high records which jellyfish thrive in.

Free-swimming Scyphozoa jellyfish are in all oceans and they vary in size from one inch to 16 inches but some larger species can grow to 6.6 feet. Most are 99% water because of the jelly that makes up the ectoderm and endoderm layers of bulk in nearly all the species. They pulsate their mass to move but they also rely on tides and wind. They feed on fish larvae and other small animals that are stung by the cells in their tentacles. What to do if stung: make a paste out of meat tenderizer and water, or put vinegar on the affected area. Also, hydrocortisone cream will help (Britannica).

Public aquaria have recently changed the name of jellyfish to sea jellies to avoid the term “fish” which means an animal with a backbone. A group of jellyfish is called a smack or a bloom (Wikipedia).

Jellyfish are eaten by humans in certain cultures where they are pressed and salted to remove excess water. In Australia, they are called perfect food protein, rich but low in food energy. The stinging cells used to catch their food can injure humans, causing discomfort or even death. A large smack of jellyfish can damage fishing gear and even clog cooling systems of desalination plants (Gayathrimurugan).