All About Jellyfish

All About Jellyfish

Written by: Paige Leal

Jellyfishes are amazing sea creatures, beyond their soft jelly look, there is a lot more to them then the eye may see. Dive in and explore the secrets of these fascinating ocean animals.

Jellyfish Basics

Although they are called jellyfish, they are not actually part of the fish family. Jellyfish are invertebrates which means they do not have a backbone. They belong to the group cnidaria, a group that holds other creatures such as sea anemones and corals. Their bodies are made up mostly of water and a soft jelly-like substance. 

Jellyfishes look and move the way they do because of their bodies being made up of water and jelly substance. They contract their umbrella-like bodies to create a force against the water and move them forward. This gives them great control of their vertical movement, thrusting them quickly and making them efficient swimmers

Appearance and Body Structure

Jellyfish have an umbrella shaped body. This is the blob part of the jellyfish, almost like a bell. Hanging from the umbrella/bell are the tentacles which also have tiny stinging cells. This allows for jellyfish to catch food. At the underside of their bodies, towards the middle, is the mouth of a jellyfish. They use this to not only eat, but it's also how they get rid of waste. Jellyfishes vary depending on species. Some are lighter than others, almost invisible where others are colored like pink, blue, yellow or purple. There are even jellyfishes that glow in the dark! These are the ones that produce a certain light, called bioluminescent light.

Habitat

Jellyfishes are found all over the ocean. Through the cold and the warm waters, the deep seas but also along the coastlines. They never have a specific place to be, in the water they spend time drifting with the current. With their jelly and water bodies, these creatures can drift and float easily because they don't have bones or organs to weigh them down. 

Diet and Predators

Jellyfishes are carnivores. They tend to eat small sea creatures such as shrimp, crab and little fish, sometimes even other jellyfish. They use their stinging tentacles to paralyze their prey before bringing it to their mouths and digest the food rather quickly. They digest food quickly to remain lighter, holding on to the food only slows them down. Jellyfish are eaten by many animals such as turtles, whales, sharks, fish, birds and more. 

More Than Just a Blob

Jellyfishes have been around for millions of years, even before dinosaurs walked Earth. They are crucial to the ocean's ecosystem as they are predators and prey. Some species can light up the deep sea, while others, like the “immortal jellyfish,” can revert to a younger form instead of dying. These impressive survivors prove there is more to the jellyfish than just a blob. Their beauty and mystery continue to remind us how fascinating the ocean truly is.