26 June 2018 - FACTS ABOUT THE AMAZING JELLYFISH

FACTS ABOUT 

THE AMAZING JELLYFISH

G'day folks,

No doubt all of you have come across these creatures at some stage, but what are they? Jellyfish or jellies are soft bodied, free-swimming aquatic animals with a gelatinous umbrella-shaped bell and trailing tentacles. The bell can pulsate to acquire propulsion and locomotion.

 Jellyfish (also known as jellies and sea jellies) are boneless animals that float freely through the world's oceans. Although jellyfish exist in our oceans worldwide they are particularly prominent in coastal areas. Jellyfish can be found in all shapes and sizes from just a few inches in diameter to well over a metre.

There are thought to be around 2,000 different species of jellyfish, the most common being the big, colourful ones found in warmer coastal areas. There are four different types of jellyfish that are categorised by their shape and the way in which they behave.

Despite the name, jellyfish are not actually fish but are instead classed in a group of their own as they are unlike any other animal on Earth. The body of the jellyfish is made up of a non-living jellylike substance called mesoglea. This jelly is surrounded by a layer of skin that is just one cell thick. The body of the jellyfish is mainly made up of water, around 90% in fact.

Jellyfish also have tentacles around their mouths that vary in length depending on the species of jellyfish. The jellyfish use their tentacles to both catch and sting their prey. The tentacles of the jellyfish are covered in a skin that contains special cells, some that sting, some that grip and some that stick. The jellyfish is able to produce these cells at an alarming rate so they are effectively disposable to the jellyfish.

Some jellyfish stings contain poison which the jellyfish uses to stun and kill its prey. The box jellyfish, found in the oceans around Australia, has a sting powerful enough to be fatal to humans. The long tentacles of the jellyfish are what produces the sting. 

The jellyfish is a carnivorous animal and despite its appearance, the jellyfish is a remarkably efficient predator. Jellyfish use their tentacles to stun their prey before grabbing onto it and bringing it into their mouth. Jellyfish prey on all kinds of aquatic animals such as small fish, eggs and invertebrates along with anything else that gets stuck in their tentacles.

Due to the fact that many species of jellyfish are transparent, they are often hard for predators to spot. However, jellyfish are drifters and move very slowly through the water sometimes using their tentacles to propel them along. Jellyfish are eaten by humans, sharks, squid and occasionally birds.

Jellyfish release their eggs and sperm into the water which eventually meet and the egg is fertilised. The jellyfish egg quickly becomes and embryo and begins to develop in it's water world.

  

Clancy's comment: Some are beautiful, but many like we have in Australia can be deadly.

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14 January 2018 - THE AMAZING JELLYFISH

THE AMAZING 

JELLYFISH

G'day folks,

I guess we have all seen these in some form or other. Jellyfish are said to be “biologically immortal” which means that if their body starts to deteriorate through age or damage then it is able to regenerate itself.

• They are free swimming animals that use their pulsing jelly-like bell to move and use their trailing tentacles to capture prey.
• Jellyfish are the oldest multi-organ animal, roaming the seas for over 700 million years.
• Jellyfish are found in every ocean around the world and prefer to live in coastal areas.
• Some jellyfish are harmless to humans but others have venom that can be very deadly.
• The box jellyfish is one of the most venomous animals on the planet! Although fatalities are rare due to anti-venoms and treatments available, a box jellyfish sting has the potential to cause a heart attack and death within 5 minutes!
• A group of jellyfish is called a “bloom” and sometimes, unofficially, a “smack”.

   Jellyfish are approximately 95-98% water and have no eyes, ears, mouth, heart or a brain and have no bones/spine making them invertebrates.

  They do not require a heart or lungs because their skin is so thin oxygen can pass easily through into their body. This is known as diffusion.

  They also do not need a brain and eyes as they have a set of nerves on each tentacle that detect things such as touch and temperature and cells sensitive to light. The jellyfish then responds to these stimuli like a reflex and orient (position) themselves accordingly.

  Jellyfish are carnivorous and feed on plankton (small organisms that live in water), small fish, crustaceans and sometimes other jellyfish species. 

Quick Facts

• Type: Medusa/Non-Polyp
• Diet: Carnivore
• Life span: 2-6 months - 30 years. Also has the potential to be biologically immortal
• Size: From 1mm wide to 1.8m wide & 15m long depending on the species
• Weight: From 5 pounds to 450 pounds depending on the species
• Habitat: Saltwater habitats but some can be found in freshwater
• Range: Across the world
• Scientific Name: Medusozoa

  

Clancy's comment: Very unusual creatures, and yes, we do have box jellyfish in Australia, so be very careful.

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