The look and the name say it all, fried egg jellyfish, aka egg-yolk jellyfish, lives up to its name. Speaking of live, it has a very short lifespan of only around half a year, from summer to winter. There are so many of them floating in the sea, and it is always nice to learn a thing or two about jellyfish. Fun fact, sometimes small animals like crabs actually hitch a ride on top and inside this jelly’s bell. There is more where that came from; let’s check them all out below.
1Appearance
You can easily recognize a fried egg jellyfish by the yellow coloration in the center of its body. Its bell or umbrella is transparent, and the entire creature looks like an egg. This bell can reach up to 60 centimeters in diameter while the yolk is around 35 centimeters. The jellyfish has long tentacles that are as long as 6 meters or even longer. Those tentacles contain nematocysts which help with capturing prey and defending against predation. The sting from the tentacles is rather dangerous to prey as it has very little impact on humans. And just like other jellyfish out there, this species does not have a brain, heart, or stomach. They have a network of neurons that allows them to sense different aspects of their environments.
2Feeding & Habitats
Fried egg jellyfish have a distribution across the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea, where they float. They live at shallow depths of warm ocean water, usually not exceeding 50 meters. With the combination of their bright colors and shallow habitats, these jellyfish are prey to sea birds and turtles. When it comes to feeding, fried egg jellyfish feed on gelatinous zooplankton and smaller jellyfish. This jellyfish feeds by collecting other jellyfish or plankton with its tentacles and bringing them into its mouth for digestion. The prey caught in the tentacles is then covered in mucus, and the oral lobes bring the food to the mouth. While many jellyfish species technically live forever, the lifespan of this jellyfish is only about 6 months. Research suggests that the short lifespan is due to the variations in water temperature throughout the seasons, so they live from summer to winter.
Cotylorhiza Tuberculata
This species also goes by the name fried egg jellyfish, but its common name is Mediterranean jellyfish. That is because it inhabits the Adriatic Sea, the Aegean Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. Smaller than the original fried egg jellyfish, this one is only around 40 centimeters in diameter, but usually smaller. By appearance, it is more attractive with its brighter bell and colorful short club-like appendages that are deep purple in color. Its elevated bell is smooth, and it is surrounded by a ring which looks absolutely gorgeous. It is usually motionless, but it can swim actively by pulsing. The Mediterranean jelly also lives in warm shallow waters, and they often form large aggregations or blooms. Drifting with the planktonic currents and feeding on small zooplankton, living for 6 months.
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