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Moon Jelly
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| 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. |
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