Moon Jelly Scientific Name: Aurelia aurita Range: In oceans worldwide; common along most coasts and inshore seas Habitat: Warm, tropical waters; bays, estuaries (where a large river meets the sea), and open ocean Natural Diet: Plankton, mollusks, crustaceans, and eggs Zoo Diet: Brine shrimp, commercial jellyfish diet, and black worms Physical  Characteristics: The body, or bell, of a moon jellyfish is an average of three inches in height and six to eight inches across. The whitish, translucent saucer-shaped body can have a slightly blue or pink tone. Many short, finger-like stinging tentacles hang down from the body. Long feeding arms grab food and bring it back into the mouth, which is found in the center of the underneath side Behavior: Moon jellyfish float near the water surface, just off of the shore or in large harbors. They swim by pumping their bell-shaped body. These jellyfish swim mainly to keep at the right level in the water, as they make little progress against strong currents. Reproduction: After fertilization, the larvae settle on the seafloor and grow into polyps (a hollow, tube-shape body). For up to 25 years the polyps switch between feeding and reproductive stages. In the reproductive stage, tiny medusae (free-swimming jellyfish) bud off from each polyp and grow into adults. Notes:   Moon jellyfish are one of the most common types of jellyfish and often get washed up on beaches during high tide or after a storm. Also, the color of a moon jelly depends on its diet. They are pink or lavender if they eat crustaceans.  They are an orange tint if they’ve been eating brine shrimp. Video: See how zoo keepers feed the jellyfish.  Thanks to Ball State University zoology students for production of the video. Note: This video is silent.