| Name: Jellyfish |
| Scientific name: Cnidaria Scyphozoa Aurelia |
| Location: Along both coasts of North America |
| Habitat: Tropical to sub-polar latitudes |
| Status: Not threatened |
| Diet: Fish, marine invertebrates, zooplankton |
| Location in the zoo: James R. Record Aquarium |
| Physical description:
Range from 2 to 40 centimeters; some can reach up to 2 meters in diameter. Largely water (94% to 96%) with thick jelly layers. Radially symmetric. |
| General information:
Jelly fish begin as polyps with tentacles and look like an anemone. As adults they have a body-form called a medusa. It is a bell-shape with trailing tentacles. The jellyfish swims by contracting and relaxing muscles around the edge of the bell. |
| Special anatomical, physiological or
behavioral adaptations:
The radial symmetry in the jellyfish allows the ability to sense both food and possible danger on all sides. This is beneficial because the jellyfish is not a fast swimmer. The tentacles of the jellyfish bear cnidocytes or stinging cells. These are used for defense and also to capture food. |
| Comments about the Jellyfish of the Fort
Worth Zoo.
 Upside-down Jellyfish at the Fort Worth Zoo
|
| Personal Observations:
The jellyfish is very graceful as it pushes itself through the water. The Monterrey Bay Aquarium has a very large display of jellyfish with a blue background. This gives the jellyfish the appearance of glowing in the dark. Moon Jelly at the Fort Worth Zoo. |
| Source Materials and Related Links:
http://www.mbayaq.org
|
| Page author: Pam O'Toole
smotoole@yahoo.com |
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