The Clinging Jellyfish are very interesting jellyfish. People sometimes think about jellyfish stings when they talk about jellyfish. Thankfully, the sting of the Clinging Jellyfish is only painful, but not lethal.

 

Their bell is like a rounded half-ball with visible organs with their color ranging from orange, red, brown, or purple that just so happens to form an “X” pattern. Also, the Clinging Jellyfish have very long tentacles. During sexual reproduction, male jellyfish release sperm from their mouth into the mouth of a female, where fertilization occurs.

 

Their habitat is kelp, eelgrass, and in summer, other substrates in the least partly protected waters.  The Clinging Jellyfish are capable of very big increases in the population, but some of the jellyfish are decreasing in some areas. The Clinging Jellyfish feed on small crustaceans, especially the copepods.

 

There are many predators of the Clinging Jellyfish, which include tuna, swordfish, moonfish, triggerfish, and certain kinds of sea turtles, which most people say is the ”leather-back turtle”.

 

In my opinion, the Clinging Jellyfish is the best jellyfish. The main reason for that is because it’s so beautiful with all the colors and how clear it is. I have also learned many things about them. For one, I found out they live in the coastal area of the northern part of the Pacific Ocean (from China to California).  I have also learned they have around 60 tentacles!

 

Author:  Hunter N.

Published:  02/2013

 

Sources:

<http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/biology/rosario/inverts/Cnidaria/Class-Hydrozoa/Hydromedusae/Gonionemus_vertens.html>.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonionemus_vertens>.

<http://www.ehow.com/facts_6068412_difference-male-female-jellyfish.html>.

<http://emeralddiving.com/id_jellyfish.html>