Examining the beautiful, mysterious jellyfish

According to Wikipedia, Jellyfish are found in every ocean, from the surface to the deep sea. Some jellyfish are also found in fresh water; though freshwater species are less than an inch in diameter, are colorless, and do not sting. The best-known jellyfish are the large, often colorful jellyfish that are common in coastal zones worldwide.

The presence of ocean jellyfish blooms is usually seasonal, responding to prey availability and increasing with temperature and sunshine. There is very little data about changes in global jellyfish populations over time, besides “impressions” in the public memory. Case in point: I remember seeing their bodies on the sands of Redondo Beach, California, during my childhood summers, but can’t remember the last time I saw one as an adult. Scientists have little quantitative data of historic or current jellyfish populations, so any recent speculation about changes in jellyfish populations are based on no actual “before” data. It is known, however, that jellies seem to be flourishing in areas where their natural predators have been thinned by overfishing or water pollution.

Jellyfish are popular displays in aquariums around the world. Often the tank’s background is blue and the animals are illuminated by side light, increasing the contrast between the animal and the background. (In natural conditions, many jellies are so transparent that they are nearly invisible.) The Monterey Bay Aquarium used to have a beautiful jelly exhibit, but it has been closed for more than a year. Fortunately, the aquarium still has an educational online exhibit that showcases photos and videos of dozens of amazingly colorful jellies.

Want to see these amazing creatures for yourself?
West Coast: Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific is featuring a collection of West Coast Sea Nettles in the Southern California/Baja Hall as well as a habitat of comb jelly species in the Ocean on the Edge Exhibit.

Midwest: Kentucky’s Newport Aquarium is currently offering an exhibit of more than a hundred jellyfish representing a variety of exotic species. The aquarium boasts a giant, 360-degree tank and three new see-through tanks that visitors can walk around. The Newport Aquarium also boasts an interactive tank where visitors can make jellies change colors as well as a giant Jelly Wall where attendees can play tag with moon jellies.

East Coast: The National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland, is running an $2.2 million exhibit called “Jellies Invasion: Oceans Out of Balance,” housing jellies in a unique, “time-traveling” experience. Dark, ominous lighting, round and glowing tanks, and interactive features including touch screens and videos add to the gallery’s futuristic and extraterrestrial-like theme.

If you can’t get to one of these exhibits, we found an incredible collection of gorgeously colorful jellyfish photography here.

Beautiful to look at, not so good to touch, though!

Creative Commons jellyfish photo by crestway75 at flickr.com / CC BY-ND 2.0

———————————————————–

Want to protect our environment and ensure that nature’s creatures are not damaged by toxic waste? Recycle your empty printer cartridges and used cell phones. Your inkjets, toners, and cell phones are worth more than you think. Why not recycle them at eCycleGroup.com?

Tags: Animals, Eco-friendly, environment