Medusa is an unusual creature: types of jellyfish and interesting facts about them

Medusa is an unusual creature: types of jellyfish and interesting facts about them

This article describes interesting facts about jellyfish that live in different oceans, seas and lakes.

According to scientists, long before the dinosaurs defeated the Earth with their giant feet, the jellyfish were already drifted in gentle ocean currents, adjusting their prey. This is perhaps the most mysterious and alien marine animals in the world. This is the oldest of the multicellular organisms known to us, which more than 2000 different types.

They can be found in any ocean and at any depths. Some glow, some change colors, and some even seem immortal. Read in this article information about interesting facts about jellyfish. What are the most dangerous and poisonous species than they can be harmful to a person, shine or not, and much more.

Why do jellyfish come to the shore?

Jellyfish always come to the shore
Jellyfish always come to the shore

Meduses do not fight with the flow of the ocean or sea. They would drift through it millions of years, and existed long before the dinosaurs wandered around the planet. Few marine animals are as mysterious and alien as jellyfish. People often observe such a picture when these multicellulars come aground. Why do jellyfish come to the shore? There are several reasons:

  • As mentioned above, these marine inhabitants drift in the streams of seas and oceans. Therefore, the currents bring them to the shore.
  • Meduses come in shallow water in search of food.
  • They can drift to the shore to leave offspring there. During the propagation period, the jellyfish floats to where the water is warmer and warms up better - to the shore.

For example, in the Black Sea there are many of these creatures near the line of the coast at the end of July in August, when the water warms up as much as possible and is a favorable environment for the propagation and habitat of young animals.

What are jellyfish, how they look: varieties, photo

Inside the body of a jellyfish called a “bell” or “umbrella”, there is a hole in the mouth. Their tentacles have burning cells that stun or paralyze their prey before they bring it to the mouth to eat. While most jellyfish prefer to freely swim around the ocean currents, others can splash out water from the mouth to advance themselves forward. The facts indicate that jellyfish older than dinosaurs for as many as 400 million years. Below you will learn about some types of jellyfish that are unusually beautiful.

Meduses can be poisonous and safe, small and large, luminous, colored or simply transparent, but they are all very beautiful. There are many types of these marine inhabitants, and it is impossible to describe all of them. There are three classes of jellyfish:

Hydromeduza - Hydrodes are primitive in the structure, can be found everywhere: in the seas, oceans, lakes of deep -sea caves. Here are a few types of this class:

Bocal jellyfish
Bocal jellyfish
  • Bocal jellyfish. They are named after its form that resembles a glass. The tentacles are collected in a bunch, and the leg performs the fastener.
Hairy jellyfish
Hairy jellyfish
  • Hairy jellyfish. The name may seem funny. Instead of transparency, which is inherent in almost all such creatures, has a red or even brown color. Tentacles can reach up to 2 meters in length.
Cornerurous jellyfish
Cornerurous jellyfish
  • Corneruries. They have pawed root -shaped rotary tentacles. The name came from this. Such jellyfish can be found in the seas, oceans, lakes.
Discisful jellyfish
Discisful jellyfish
  • Disc shade - They have a flat bell.
  • They have a cartilage body in the shape of an umbrella.
  • If you look closely, you can clearly see the concave lower part and the convex upper one.

Szifomeduza They have a more complex organization. Their colonies and individual individuals can be found in the sea water of the oceans and the seas. This is a popular species, which is often the inhabitant of large aquariums. The most popular are:

Szifomeduza
Szifomeduza
  • Spectacular cyanes With bundles of tentacles.
  • The diameter of the dome is on average 30 to 80 cm.
  • But copies were registered up to 3 meters In length and diameter of the dome up to 36.5 meters.
  • Only such a jelly -born jellyfish (orange or pink color).
  • As it grows up, it acquires a red and even brown color.
Aurelia
Aurelia
  • Aurelia - in appearance it resembles a transparent floating umbrella.
  • For hunting, he uses ultrasound waves.
  • Such a jellyfish has eyes and equilibrium organs that are inside the dome.
Ropilem
Ropilem
  • Ropilem - It is considered a large intestinal animal.
  • The body is expanded, there is a oral cavity inside.
  • The top of the umbrella is painted in bright blue.
  • Some representatives may have a yellowish or brown color.
  • Ropilem is one of the few species of jellyfish that is eaten.
Medusa Cross
Medusa Cross
  • Cross - A small marine inhabitant.
  • Body size size- from 20 to 30 mm.
  • Moreover, the number of tentacles is large - 50 to 80 pieces.
  • Each tentacle has special organs that produce poison.

Kubeduza - They are found in the warm seas, you can often find in shallow water. They are easy to distinguish in the shape of the body, which resembles a bell and well -expressed tentacles. But it is not always possible to see these marine creatures, since when any object approaches, such jellyfish develops cosmic speed. In addition, representatives of this species can harm a person. If the individuals of the previous class simply burn the skin of the victim with their tentacles or can cause irritation, then Kubumeduz is fatal. Here are a few representatives of this species:

Medusa Sea Wasp
Medusa Sea Wasp
  • Sea Wasp - The most dangerous Medusa in the world.
  • They eat shrimp.
  • Often they come to the crowd beaches of North Australia, so vacationers often become their victims.
  • He stings a person, mainly when he stumbles upon her.
  • These jellyfish have good vision, as they have 4 eyes. But it is still unknown how such creatures can process visual information without a brain. However, the fact remains - she sees the victim well and attacks her.
Medusa Irukanji
Medusa Irukanji
  • Medusa Irukanji - One of the smallest such creatures.
  • It lives near Australia, in shallow water near the coast. Although you can meet it at a distance 5 km From the coast.
  • Little is known about the life cycle of these babies. But they are so fragile that when they get captive, they should only be stored in a container with round edges. In another vessel, it may die from blows against the wall and corners.
Medusa Carybdea Alata
Medusa Carybdea Alata
  • Carybdea alata - This jellyfish is a relative of the previous representative.
  • Finded on the Hawaiian shores.
  • They occupy the beaches through 9-10 days After the full moon.
  • The burn is very strong and can even cause anaphylactic shock.
Medusa TripDalia Cystophora
Medusa TripDalia Cystophora
  • TripDalia Cystophora - It lives in the tropical mangroves of Central America.
  • Such a jellyfish 24 eyes, four parallel brain and 60 muscles.
  • Eyes help to hunt.
  • Currently, the loss of its habitat is at risk. Mangro forests are cleaned for rural, shrimp, fish farming.

Despite the specificity and unfriendliness of jellyfish, people treat them with curiosity. In the seas and oceans, underwater excursions are popular, which allow you to see these water inhabitants with your own eyes. Many species are prescribed in aquariums, delighting with their beautiful appearance and calming the nerves with smooth continuous movements. Many jellyfish is even eaten. There is no particular benefit from such jelly, and the taste leaves much to be desired, but it is very exotic and unusual.

Do jellyfish glow at night?

One of the brightest luminous jellyfish is a phosphoric jellyfish. It can be seen off the coast Japan, Brazil and Argentina. Also, luminous jellyfish include:

  • Ratka
  • Equorer
  • Pelagia

Near the coast Black Sea You can also see the "light" from the jellyfish:

  • In August, he naits the dead jellyfish - young animals, who did not survive on strong waves or adults, whose century has already expired (after all, jellyfish on average live a couple of months).
  • Decomposing, jellyfish distinguish phosphorus, which glows at night in the light of the moon.
  • People even talk about this phenomenon - "Water phosphores".

This is a very beautiful sight that can be seen on the shore Black Sea in Crimea, Anapa and other southern regions and cities.

What is the dangerous jellyfish for a person, is it possible to die from a bite of a jellyfish?

Meduses are dangerous for a person by the fact that from their poison you can get a burn. But this is not the worst. Is it possible to die from a bite of a jellyfish?

  • There are species that, in a collision with a person, release a dangerous poison.
  • Burns are so strong that wounds appear on the skin that do not heal for months.
  • There are also jellyfish whose poison can be fatal. If you do not introduce an antidote, then a person may die.

Therefore, going on a trip to the ocean, ask what jellyows are found off the coast of that country. It is also worth finding out in local hospitals, they have an antidote from the bites of marine inhabitants. Only after that you can calmly relax and swim in the ocean or sea or not to do it.

The most dangerous, poisonous jellyfish in the world: Australian Medusa killer

The most dangerous, poisonous jellyfish in the world
The most dangerous, poisonous jellyfish in the world

The northern coast of Australia is a real tropical paradise. But at the end of the 19th century, scientists suspected that something incomprehensible was happening in this place. The fact is that incomprehensible cases began to occur. People just went into the water to swim, and then suddenly they overtook death - a sharp arrest of the heart.

Scientists began to explore the water, but found nothing suspicious. Eyewitnesses themselves, who were next to the victims, also indicated that the water was perfectly clean and no sea inhabitants were swimming nearby. Sometimes strange red stripes appeared on the body of people after bathing. But the swimsuers themselves assured that the water around was clean and no one was swimming nearby.

So stinging the most dangerous, poisonous jellyfish in the world
So stinging the most dangerous, poisonous jellyfish in the world

At that time, local residents began to compose ineverally about sea devils, but scientists did not believe it. More and more cases of incomprehensible deaths in the water took place. A man went into the water and such a nuisance happened to him. Once, there was a case in shallow water with a small child:

  • A five -year -old boy bathed and played near the shore.
  • Suddenly he felt ill, his parents ran up, but it was already too late - the boy died instantly - a heart stop.
  • Nearby was a local biologist - doctor Hugo Flexor. He asked the fishermen to throw nets in the place where the child played and pull out everything that would come across.
  • The fishermen pulled out the nets and the scientist found before that an unknown jellyfish, which would then be called "Sea Osa". This is the most dangerous, poisonous jellyfish in the world.

Medusa body Cubozoa or Box Jellyfish So transparent that even in the aquarium, it can be seen if the water is highlighted with an ultraviolet light. When the poison is released, the body penetrates severe pain, the heart begins to fight and does not withstand, death occurs.

Interesting: Salvation from the Australian Medus of the killer is an ordinary nylon. The fact is that not everyone stings the tentacles of this inhabitant of the ocean, but only a living organism or a potential victim. If you put on a nylon costume on the body, then the tentacles, when contacted, give a signal that this is an inanimate object, and the poison is not available.

But a bath suit is worth more than $ 100. At the same time, it is short -lived, since nylon is a thin fabric. People found a way out, pulling on themselves Two pairs cheap nylon tights. One and on the feet, the second (cutting the hole) on the hands and upper body.

The largest and smallest jellyfish in the world: name, photo

The largest jellyfish in the world is the hairy cyanei. The text said above that the largest individual of this species was registered with body length in 36.5 meters, and the hat in diameter to 3 meters. It is painted in bright red and even brown color. Young animals have a pink shade. Here is a photo of this jellyfish:

The largest jellyfish in the world
The largest jellyfish in the world

The smallest jellyfish in the world - Irukanji. The body length of this inhabitant of the seas is 10-20 mm. The bite is poisonous, but not always fatal. However, it is important to receive medical care after a bite, otherwise the heart may stop within half an hour. When the poison enters the body, a person begins headaches, rapid heartbeat, severe muscle soreness. Even potent painkillers such as morphine do not help. Here is a photo of this jellyfish:

The smallest jellyfish in the world
The smallest jellyfish in the world

The most beautiful jellyfish: photo, names

Meduses always attract with their beauty and lightness. They are found in oceans, seas and lakes. Some individuals are so beautiful that if you see them with your own eyes, it is impossible to even take your eyes off. It is also worth remembering that many of them are poisonous, and it is dangerous to approach them close. Here are the names and photos of the most beautiful jellyfish in the world:

  • Cannonball - Medusa with a round and smooth bell.
  • She got her name precisely thanks to the appearance.
  • It lives along the east coast from the United States to Brazil.
  • In Asian countries, it is used in folk medicine for the treatment of diseases light, arthritis and high blood pressure.
Cannon core - beautiful jellyfish
Cannon core - beautiful jellyfish
  • Oldias Formosa - A rare species of jellyfish.
  • It occurs off the coast of Japan, Argentina and Brazil.
  • The jellyfish hangs in a small depth. Therefore, it can be easily examined without plunging deep into the ocean or sea.
  • In this state, her tentacles are located above the hat - an incredibly beautiful look.
  • Due to a small number, it does not pose a great danger to people.
  • But at a meeting, it can sting the skin of a person. There is a small burn that does not pass for several days.
Portuguese boat - beautiful jellyfish
Portuguese boat - beautiful jellyfish
  • Portuguese boat - It differs from other species of jellyfish in that it consists of several medical individuals.
  • With the help of a gas bubble, swims on the surface of the water.
  • Tentacles can reach length 50 meters and more.
Violet striped jellyfish
Violet striped jellyfish
  • Violet striped jellyfish “You can meet Monterrey in the Bay.”
  • While poorly studied by scientists.
  • It has large sizes.
  • He applies severe burns to a person at a meeting.
  • A bright color in the form of stripes appears as they grow older.
Medusa
Medusa "Fried Egg"
  • Medusa "Fried Egg" - In appearance, the Pashot egg really resembles.
  • It lives in the Mediterranean, Adriatic and Aegean seas.
  • The peculiarity of such a creature is that it can move independently. This jellyfish does not need currents and waves.
Medusa
Medusa "Dart Vader" or Nargomeduza
  • Medusa "Dart Vader" or Nargomeduza - It was discovered in the waters of the Arctic recently.
  • It has an interesting, and at the same time terrifying appearance.
  • During swimming, all 4 tentacles stretch forward, so that it is better to catch the prey.
Blue Medusa
Blue Medusa
  • Blue Medusa - He has very sarcastic tentacles, which painfully injures the victim.
  • It was discovered off the coast of Scotland, in the North and Irish seas.
  • In the diameter of the hat can reach 15 cm and even more.
  • Color-from bright blue to dark blue.
Porpit
Porpit
  • Porpit - An interesting creature that looks like a jellyfish, as it has a tentacle. But scientists say that this is not a jellyfish.
  • Fucking the "blue button." It consists of a hard float and hydroidal colonies.
  • People often confuse him with a jellyfish.
Diplulmaris Antarctica - Beautiful Medusa
Diplulmaris Antarctica - Beautiful Medusa
  • Diplulmaris Antarctica - This interesting creature lives in the deep waters of Antarctica.
  • It has four bright orange tentacles, as well as white tentacles.
  • Small white points on a hat in the form of warts are sidemen. These creatures live in a jellyfish, and sometimes even eat it.
Black Sea nettle - beautiful jellyfish
Black Sea nettle - beautiful jellyfish
  • Black sea nettle - Large jellyfish with a bell.
  • Can reach a hat diameter 5 meters.
  • 24 tentacles They help to instantly grab the prey and hold tightly, without releasing.
  • It lives in the waters of the Pacific Ocean. It feeds on plankton, larvae and other small individuals.

Read below interesting facts about these magnificent creatures. What they are dangerous than they eat and more.

Interesting facts about jellyfish: unusual creatures

Medusa on 95% consist of water (people on 55-65% consist of water). Their soft gelatin bodies do not have a skeletal frame or outer shell. Therefore, they can easily suffer and die if they remove them from the water. However, even a dead jellyfish will sting a person if you step on it.

Some types of jellyfish are immortal. These are really unusual creatures. They can “turn back” their life cycle, actually turning from an adult into an immature organism. I would like people to know how to do it. You can talk about jellyfish endlessly. They can be admired for a long time. They are so beautiful in all their splendor. Here are interesting facts about jellyfish:

Medusa Mauve Stinger
Medusa Mauve Stinger
  • "Mauve Stinger" In Australia, the second most dangerous jellyfish in Australian waters after a terrible “boxed jellyfish”.
  • "Medusa-Koron" You can distinguish in a deep groove around the body in the shape of a bell, giving it the shape of a crown, which is a source of the name. They are usually found in deep -sea conditions, but from time to time they can be caught closer to the surface.
  • Type of jellyfish, known as Aurelia auritaIt contains toxins in its tentacles. Medusa will sting everything that comes into contact with her, whether it is a fish, a mammal or a person.
  • Jellyfish "Tiburonia Granrojo" It was discovered relatively recently. This jellyfish can reach 1 meters In diameter.
  • "Cassiopeia" Also known as an “inverted” jellyfish. She has numerous short tentacles. Her tentacles, although they do not contain many toxins, cause very annoying itching, which manifests itself in the form of a red rash on the skin. Can usually reach about 30 cm In diameter. By the way, the jellyfish group is called the "swarm".
  • "Lunar jellyfish" are one of the most common types of jellyfish found in aquariums around the world. They are slightly poisonous and can cause itching and burning pain.
Lunar jellyfish
Lunar jellyfish

Marine biologists still find new species of jellyfish that carry their own light (or, in other words, they have “bioluminescence”). Many of them can glow countless colors, sometimes as a warning to other creatures "stay away."

Jellyfish that glow
Jellyfish that glow

A few more facts:

  • Medusa Oldias Formosa Lives in small fish, and although its bite can be painful, it does not represent a real risk to a person.
  • "Network" A little transparent and sometimes happens with stripes, sometimes not. It has the shape of a saucer and hands are attached to the lower part of the mouth. She has long tentacles that can reach several meters in length.
  • Medusa "Pink Meanie" (Drymonema Larsoni), the view found in the Gulf of Mexico and on the Caribbean, feeds on a smaller jellyfish, known as the “lunar jelly” (Aurelia).
  • Recently discovered medusa "Narcomedusae" With four main tentacles and a curious discovery - 4 more secondary, smaller tentacles on the very edge of the body. In search of food, this jellyfish holds long tentacles in front of him to more effectively plant prey.
  • Atolla - This is a jellyfish that usually lives at a depth from about 500 meterswhere there is still a small amount of sunlight, to the depth 4500 meters, much lower than the limit of the penetration of sunlight. Where there is light, its red color looks black, so it is difficult to see. It also produces brilliant biolyuminescence, it is possible to scare predators.
  • "Black Sea nettle" With four hands that can reach several meters. Their bite is usually accompanied by a burning sensation, and toxins are classified as moderate and severe. In other words, if you see her in the water, do not enter. This jellyfish is a giant jelly size up to 1.5 meters, while her tentacles can reach colossal 6 m in length.
  • "Violet striped jellyfish" - This is the most famous form of Medusa, and most of us would recognize its “classical” jellyfish.
  • Tiny but very dangerous Portuguese "MAN-O-WAR". It can be small, but its sting can be compared with a cobra bite. In fact, this is not a “real jellyfish”, but a set of many tiny organisms. The tentacles, for example, are very different from the bubble, and reach 45 meters. While this jellyfish can cause very painful bites and even, rarely, death, some animals (such as a clown fish) do not get injuries from its tentacles.
Medusa Man-O-War
Medusa Man-O-War

Most jellyfish live only 2-6 months, during which they can grow from one millimeter to many centimeters in diameter. In aquariums in which they care and regularly feed, they can live up to several years. Here are still interesting views:

Medusa
Medusa "Lion Guide"
  • Medusa "Lion Guide", also known as “Winter jelly”, because the mane usually appears in the cold months of the year. They were found in the North Atlantic and can reach 2 m in diameter with incredibly long tentacles, which can reach before 33 meters in length. Their bites are considered moderate: the pain that they cause is moderate and often burns.
  • Giant Medusa "Nomura" It lives in Japan. This is huge 20 kilogram jelly, length 2 m The japanese waters and the size of a sumo wrestle.

Another interesting fact about jellyfish is their reproduction. Read further.

Sexual propagation of jellyfish: cycle, diagram

Sexual propagation of jellyfish
Sexual propagation of jellyfish

Meduses propagate both sexually (male and female), and asexual (without gender). Having reached their full size, they multiply, depending on the prosperity of food and can even do it every day, if it is enough. Their spawning depends on the light, so they usually do this at the same time of the day, at dusk or at dawn. The cycle and propagation scheme asexily by jellyfish are described above in the picture:

  • Adults form special germ cells - gametes.
  • Then zygotes are formed.
  • After that, the larva ripens - planning.
  • She settles in one place, attaches to some substrate, and a polyp is obtained.
  • Polyps begin to multiply, forming ethers - young jellyfish.

Young animals grow and turns into adults that can form gametes again, and the cycle is repeated. An interesting fact is that a jellyfish, without sexual characteristics, may multiply. There are types of jellyfish that differ in sexual characteristics, respectively, and they multiply in their own way:

  • Pink and purple gonads in males, yellow in females.
  • Male cells through the rotary hole are released into the water, and after that, some part, it enters the body of the female, where it is fertilized.
  • The egg is generated in the planum, which is subsequently attached to the bottom objects, and then turns into a polyp.
  • Further, the process will be as described above: ether and then an adult is formed from the polyp.

Such creatures appeared many millions of years ago and will live while there are oceans, seas and lakes on Earth. These are unique marine animals, many individuals of which are not fully studied. Therefore, be careful when traveling to the seas to foreign countries and thoroughly study the sea inhabitants before, to go swimming. Good luck!

Video: Medusa - interesting facts. Do you know that Medusa has 24 eyes?

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